


Though lovers be lost, love shall not; And death shall have no dominion.

by tayryn



Category: James Bond (Craig movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Explicit Sexual Content, F/M, Older Woman/Younger Man, Romance, Spoilers for SPECTRE
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-15
Updated: 2016-04-15
Packaged: 2018-05-26 19:21:49
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 17
Words: 34,178
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6252328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tayryn/pseuds/tayryn
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After the events with Spectre, Bond walked away from the world of MI6.  Bored, he contemplates returning to the only life he knows, when a chance encounter changes everything.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * For [detectivecaz](https://archiveofourown.org/users/detectivecaz/gifts), [LadyDuchess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDuchess/gifts), [Faithfully_Focused](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Faithfully_Focused/gifts).



James Bond was bored.

It had been a month since he’d walked away from Six, and the life of International Espionage; a month since he’d walked away from everything that reminded him of _her_.

He closed his eyes, and sighed softly.

He was bored.

He’d tried. He’d honestly tried, but the life of leisure was just not for him it seemed. Not without _her_ anyway, the thought flitted through his mind unbidden. He frowned, but silently acknowledged that particular truth.

Yes, he’d fucked off for months at a time over the years, but he had always returned. The lure of his chosen profession too great to ignore. Or, at least, that’s what he told himself now. However, he knew that was not the only reason. No, all those times he’d returned home, he’d also come back to, or rather, _for_ her.

He looked across the table at his companion. Doctor Madeleine Swann.

She was pretty. Beautiful even. A very intelligent woman, Madeleine understood, at least on some level the life he led, which made things a little easier, as he could talk with her in a way he couldn’t with most women. She was also good in bed, he thought absently, which helped, too, he admitted to himself.

But he was bored.

She’d asked him, not long after they’d met, why he had chosen the life of a spy, of a paid assassin. He’d made a glib reply about it being that or the priesthood, then had admitted that he did not think he’d had any choice in the matter.

He’d thought a lot about that particular conversation in the weeks since, wondering about his answer. Did he really not have any choice? He had almost chosen a different path, and had been enjoying a very successful naval career before Six came onto his radar.

Until _she_ had come onto his radar.

James smiled to himself. He remembered that day as if it were yesterday.

She’d turned up one weekend when he’d been attending specialized language courses at Cambridge, and had informed him that they had been watching him for a number of years. When he’d asked her who _they_ were, she’d smiled enigmatically and leaned closer, as if to confess a great secret, then had told him.

MI6 wanted him.

The conversation after that had been mere formality, James recalled. Because the moment she’d put the idea in his head of working for the British Secret Intelligence Service, he’d been intrigued.

It had been more than that however.

He’d also been unusually intrigued by the petite blonde who had come to recruit him.

At only just over five feet in height, with a shapely figure (and breasts he’d ached to get his hands and mouth on), he’d been surprised to learn that she was actually one of MI6’s elite agents. Surprised that is, until he’d looked into her fiercely, intelligent blue eyes. It had been in that moment that he’d realized why she’d held the position she had.

Her size, and her sex, helped others to underestimate her. Just as he had originally done. 

Thinking about it again now, James realized that he had been truthful with Madeleine when he said he hadn’t had any choice about becoming a secret agent. He hadn’t. The moment he’d met the former 007, he’d been helpless to do anything but follow her.

“James, are you all right?”

He blinked, and looked across the table at his companion. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I asked if you were all right?”

He nodded.

“Are you sure?”

“Yes, Madeleine, I’m sure,” he told her with a small smile.

He was spared further questioning with the appearance of their waiter with their entrees. He thanked the young man, then picked up his knife and fork, and smiled at Madeleine. He admonished himself for not paying better attention to her. But then, she was partially to blame for him being bored.

When they’d said good-bye in London, before he’d gone off with Mallory and the others to stop C, she’d told him that she couldn’t go back to the kind of life she’d had as a child, but that she couldn’t ask him to change either, and then she’d walked away.

For good, he’d thought, until he’d learned that she’d been kidnapped yet again.

After he’d saved Madeleine from dying in the explosion that destroyed the old MI6 building, and after he’d stopped Oberhauser (or Blofeld as Franz had taken to calling himself), from escaping, that’s when he’d decided he’d had enough.

Seeing _her_ photo, in one of the cells in the basement of Six as he’d hunted his ‘brother’, had felt like a punch to the gut, and had brought the pain of loss rushing back to the surface, and it was that which had truly been the final straw. That was when he’d decided to walk away.

With Madeleine.

From Six.

And most especially, from the memory of _her_

They’d traveled around Europe, spending a few days in the various cities, before returning to England. Madeleine had asked him to take her to Scotland, to Skyfall, but he’d refused. There was nothing left but a burnt pile of stones and rubble. 

It was also where he’d lost _her_. The memory of which, even almost a year later, was still too much for him to bear.

So, they’d settled in London, staying at the Dorchester. 

For some reason, James hadn’t wanted to bring her to his flat. Even though _she_ had never seen it, it still felt wrong to bring Madeleine there in an attempt to start a new life.

However, the idyllic life he’d sought just hadn’t materialized. And lately, James sighed, Madeleine had begun talking about settling down, about getting married and starting a family; pressuring him to truly cut all ties with the SIS, which he hadn’t formally done.

He was glad now that he hadn’t done so.

He’d been contemplating calling Tanner, curious as to how events had unfolded in the month he’d been gone; wondering if Mallory had been able to salvage Six in the wake of the chaos C had created, when Tanner had called him.

Six was back in business. And, Tanner had told him, the Double-0 section had been reinstated; his position as 007 was still his if he wanted it.

James hadn’t hesitated, and had given Tanner his answer then.

He most definitely still wanted it.

It was after he hung up with Tanner, that James had realized his relationship with Madeleine had come to an end. That it had ended the moment he’d thought about calling Tanner. It was then that he’d concluded that he was bored.

With life, and with her.

Yes, he cared about her; far more than he had any other woman in a quite a long time, but he wasn’t in love with her. It was a truth he had discovered only after a week into their month’s sojourn.

He’d tried.

God knows he’d tried, but his heart just wasn’t having it. Not yet. It was still too soon. In many ways, Madeleine reminded him of _her_ , even more than Vesper had. That’s why he’d gone off with her. It’s what had sparked his interest in her in the first place.

But the simple fact was, Madeleine was not _her_.

And that was the problem. That was _his_ problem.

After speaking with Tanner, James realized he would have to tell Madeleine it was over. 

Which brought his thoughts back to the here and now, and the reason he and Madeleine were having dinner in one of the restaurants near the hotel.

James reached for his glass of wine, and regarded the young blonde over the rim as he took a long sip, wondering how she was going to react to the news, but knowing she wasn’t going to like it. He just hoped, that by breaking the news to her in a restaurant, in a public setting, that she wouldn’t make a scene. 

He took another drink of his wine, then lowered his glass. He’d wait to tell her just after dessert. No point in ruining a perfectly good meal. “How’s your dinner?”

Madeleine looked up at him, and smiled. “It’s quite delicious. How’s yours?”

“Pretty good,” he replied, reaching for his utensils once again, and began to cut a piece from his steak.

Laughter floated across the restaurant, and James turned his head sharply at the sound, then shook his head at himself for even thinking what he was thinking. There was just no way it could be _her_. He turned back to his plate, and resumed cutting his steak.

“James, what is it?”

He looked up at Madeleine, and shook his head. “Nothing,” he replied, and flashed her a quick smile.

He heard the laughter again, and felt a pang in his heart. It couldn’t be, but everything in him screamed that it was. It was a deep, throaty chuckle; one so unique that it could not belong to anyone else. He glanced around the restaurant again; his eyes grew wide when he caught brief glimpse of white hair, as a small group of people began walking out of the main lounge.

Without conscious thought, he pushed his chair back, and stood. 

“James?”

“I’ll be right back,” he told Madeleine absently, and quickly made his way across the restaurant, keeping his distance but also making certain not to lose sight of her, and he was certain it **was** _her_.

Reaching the large entrance way of the restaurant, James watched the small group. One couple left, after a round of hugs, and promises to call for another dinner sometime in the future, leaving _her_ and another couple.

The man that remained behind pulled a ticket stub from his jacket pocket, and hand it to one of the restaurant’s parking attendants. “Can you bring our car around, please?”

“Yes, sir. Right away,” the young man replied, then left.

“Are you sure you don’t need…” The other lady pointed to the hall leading to the toilets.

She shook her head. “Go. I’ll wait here.”

James’ eyes closed.

It was _her_ voice. The husky tones washing over him, leaving goosebumps in their wake.

“All right, we won’t be long,” the older man said.

James opened his eyes in time to watch the remaining couple disappear down the short hall. It was now or never, he thought, then stepped into the restaurant’s foyer.

“Olivia?”

She turned.


	2. Chapter 2

It was now or never, James thought to himself, then stepped into the restaurant’s foyer.

“Olivia?”

She turned.

James’ breath caught in his throat, and his heart began to pound furiously in his chest. It was her. He drank in the sight of her. She was alive! He wasn’t sure if he should laugh or cry, as both emotions rushed to the surface, drowning him in their intensity.

There was a brief flash of surprise in her eyes, but nothing more. No recognition whatsoever; a fact which cut James to the quick.

“Yes, my name is Olivia. Do I know you?” she asked.

Amnesia, James thought immediately. It was the only explanation.

“Yes, you do,” he answered quietly, when he saw that she was looking at him curiously.

She smiled, though it was a cautious one, he realized.

“I’m sorry,” Olivia said. “My memory isn’t what it used to be, and I am just terrible with faces. Are you a friend of my nephew Gareth?”

James nodded, fighting to keep the sudden surge of anger at bay. Just when he’d begun to start trusting the man. “Yes,” he replied in an even voice. “I’m a friend of Gareth’s.”

He saw her body relax a little more; her smile become more genuine. Before he could say anything more, however, one of her friends returned from the loo; a lady about Olivia’s age. She was about a foot taller than Olivia, a stone or two heavier, with brown eyes and dyed brown hair.

“Art’s not back yet?” she inquired, as she walked out from the hallway.

“No,” Olivia answered.

“And he always complains that I take forever,” the other woman remarked dryly.

“That’s because you do,” a deep voice said from behind her.

Olivia chuckled at the indignant look on her friend’s face.

At that moment, the parking attendant returned. “Your car is out front, sir.”

“Thank you,” Art replied, then turned to the two women, but not before his eyes darted briefly to James. “Are you two ready to go?”

“Yes,” the woman now standing next to Olivia answered, then looked at her. “You are ready, yes?”

“Yes,” Olivia replied, glancing at James. 

He smiled, and held his right hand out to her. When she placed her left hand in his, he raised it to his lips, and pressed a kiss to her knuckles. He watched her eyes grow wide, and smiled again, brushing his thumb over her wedding ring as he lowered, then released her hand.

“Oh my,” Olivia’s friend remarked softly, and out of the corner of his eye, James caught Art giving him a dirty look.

“The car’s waiting,” Art said gruffly, as he gently shooed the other woman ahead of him, then turned to Olivia.

“I should go,” she told James.

He nodded, and watched as she began to walk away. “It was nice meeting you again, Olivia,” James called after her.

“And you as well, James,” Olivia replied, then stopped, and glanced back at him, her brow furrowed.

A small smile curled the corner of his mouth, as she blinked, then with a shake of her head, continued out of the restaurant.

James turned to the young attendant. “Fetch me a taxi, would you? And make it quick.”

“Yes, sir,” the young man replied, then dashed out the door.

James turned slightly, and looked back into the restaurant where Madeleine was still seated at the table. He felt a momentary pang of guilt for what he was about to do, but brushed it aside, then hurried outside, stepping out onto the pavement in time to see Olivia getting into the backseat of a silver Nissan. 

“Sir, your taxi!” The valet called over to him with a wave.

James smiled. Perfect. The taxi was two cars behind Olivia’s car. He strode over to the taxi, and slapped a large tip into the young man’s hands. “Thanks,” he said, then climbed into the taxi.

“Follow that silver Nissan,” James told the driver, pointing to the car in question as it pulled away from the curb. “There’s a very large tip in it for you if you don’t lose them, and if they don’t spot you, and no questions asked.”

“Yes, sir,” the driver replied with a grin, as he put the vehicle in drive, and eased out into traffic.

**~*007*~**

“Olivia, are you all right?”

At the softly uttered question, Olivia turned from the window, where she’d been staring unseeingly at the passing vehicles, to find her friend looking at her with concern from the front seat.

She smiled, and nodded. “Yes, Connie, I’m fine.”

“That young man didn’t upset you, did he?” Art asked, glancing at her in the rear view mirror.

“No.” Olivia shook her head.

“He was quite the charmer,” Connie remarked with a grin.

“Yes he was.”

“How do you know him?” Art inquired. 

“He’s a friend of Gareth’s,” she replied, then resumed staring out the window, as her thoughts returned to her encounter in the restaurant.

James.

She had felt her heart stop when she’d turned around at the soft call of her name to find him standing there, and for a moment or two thought she was dreaming.

For as long as she could remember, well, from the moment she’d woken up in the hospital almost a year ago at any rate, his face had haunted her dreams. She did not know his name, or how she knew him; all she knew was that he was important to her somehow.

Was he someone from her past?

“James,” she murmured softly to herself, absently twisting her wedding band, and wondered how she’d known his name. The moment she’d uttered it in the restaurant, she’d known it to be correct, and the small smile she’d seen play on his lips had only confirmed it.

But _how_ had she known it?

He hadn’t introduced himself.

And while he had agreed with her when she’d asked him if was a friend of Gareth’s, he had not actually come out and said that he knew her nephew.

But Olivia knew, felt it with every fibre of her being, that she knew James.

She closed her eyes with a sigh. It was dark, and she wasn’t paying attention to the passing vehicles as they sped along the A3 to get home anyway.

James.

He continued to consume her thoughts.

She wondered if she would see him again, and if she did, whether she would get any answers to the myriad of questions plaguing her.

**~*007*~**

“Drive four houses down, then stop,” James told the taxi driver, as they watched the silver Nissan stop in front of a row of houses. “And kill the lights.”

The driver did as instructed, coming to a stop a few houses down from where the other car had stopped, then switched off his lights.

“How much?” James asked, undoing his seat belt before turning in his seat to watch the other vehicle.

“Four hundred and twenty-six pounds,” the driver told him, then asked, “I know you said no questions asked, but this isn’t something illegal is it?”

“No,” James responded. “And make it eight hundred,” he told the driver, fishing his wallet out from his pocket. He glanced down only long enough to remove his credit card, and hand it to the driver, seemingly unfazed by the amount of the fare.

“Are you serious?”

“I told you there’d be a large tip,” James said. “And given how far we had to go, you’ve more than earned it.”

“Thank you, sir,” the other man replied. “You’re sure this is on the up and up?”

“Yeah. I’m just planning to surprise my aunt. I’m the black sheep of the family, which is why I don’t want the others to see me. She’ll be the only one happy to see me.” 

The driver nodded. “I got family like that myself,” he said. “If you’ll just sign here.”

James turned back to the driver, and took the credit card slip, and pen from the driver. He quickly signed it, then handed it back to him. “Are you interested in making another large tip?”

“What did you have in mind, Mr. Bond?” the driver asked with a smile.

“Pick me up, and bring me back to London?”

“I can do that. How long do you need?”

“That I’m not sure,” James replied, looking back once again just in time to see Olivia, and her friend, getting out of the car. “No more than an hour I’d say.”

“How about…” The driver quickly scribbled on the back of the credit card receipt, then handed it to him. “Call me when you’re ready. I’ll find a place in downtown Esher to have a bite.”

James glanced at the slip of paper, then back up at the driver. “You’re sure?”

“Absolutely.”

“Thanks, Ronald,” he said, as he slipped the receipt into his pocket. He looked out through the taxi’s rear window to where Olivia and her friend were standing on the step in front of the house. He watched the two women embrace, and then the other woman hurried back to the car. She waved at Olivia before climbing back into the passenger side, and moments later, with a brief honk of the horn, the Nissan drove away.

He turned, ducking his head as the car passed the taxi, then looked back toward Olivia’s house to see her still standing in the front. She was staring in his direction, and for a brief moment he thought she had spotted him, but then he realized she was simply watching the departing vehicle.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the Nissan turn the corner, and when he returned his full attention to Olivia, it was to see her entering her home. 

That was James’ cue.

With a quick rap on the partition, he opened the door, and climbed out of the taxi. As he crossed the street, he heard Ronald drive away, then walked quickly to Olivia’s house. He stopped on the pavement, standing at the hedge that lined the front yard, and gazed at the house.

It was a small redbrick house, with a sloping roof; a large bay window on one side of the entrance, and a smaller window on the other, both with lights on. The front door was set back in a small alcove, and was painted white to match the trim around the windows. While he was pleased to see that Six had sprung for a decent home for her, he felt the anger he’d only just managed to hold in check at the restaurant flare back to life.

He pushed it aside. Now wasn’t the time for anger. Not when _she_ was so close after almost a year of being apart.

No. He needed to learn what happened first, then he could confront Mallory.

Then, and only then, would he allow his anger free reign.

With that thought in mind, he stepped around the hedge, and made his way up the driveway.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tis a shorter chapter than usual... sorry. These two dictate the pace of the story - not me.

“Are you all right, Olivia? You were so quiet on the drive home.”

Olivia glanced at her friend as they walked up the driveway to her front door. “My mind was just elsewhere I guess.”

“You were thinking about that young man from the restaurant, weren’t you?” Connie asked as they reached the front door.

“Yes.”

“Arthur was right, he did upset you.”

Olivia shook her head. “No. He didn’t upset me.” She sighed. “I just… I think I know him.”

“Well, yes, you did say that he was a friend of Gareth’s.”

“I did, yes, but that’s not what I…” She paused. “I think there’s more to it than that.”

“More? Like what?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia answered, sighing again.

“You think you knew him before your accident, don’t you?”

“Possibly.”

“Why don’t you ring Gareth, and ask him,” Connie suggested.

“Now why didn’t I think of that?” An exasperated look flashed across Olivia’s face.

Connie chuckled. “Perhaps because you were occupied with thoughts of that handsome young man,” she said with suggestive undertones.

“Oh, do be serious!” Olivia replied, unable to stop herself from laughing a little as well. A sudden image of James’ face flashed through her mind, his eyes dark with desire before he lowered his mouth to hers in a passionate kiss, stopped her laughter, and she found herself licking her lips.

Connie looked toward Art, still waiting in the car, then turned back to Olivia. “I should be going before he starts to get impatient.”

Olivia nodded.

“Don’t forget to ring Gareth,” Connie told her, as she leaned in to hug her.

“I won’t.” Olivia returned the quick embrace.

“And then call me. You’ve got me curious about this James fellow, too.”

“I will.”

“You’d better!” Connie said with a smile, then hurried down the driveway. Reaching the car, she turned back to wave, then climbed inside.

Olivia waved back as Art tooted the horn, then drove off. She watched her friends drive away, noticing a black taxi a little way down the road, but paid it little attention. When Art turned the corner, Olivia exhaled slowly, then turned to head into her house.

**~*007*~**

Steaming cup of tea in hand, Olivia slowly wandered out of her kitchen, heading for her front room. Pausing to take a small sip of the hot liquid, she contemplated calling Gareth now, then decided against it.

Her nephew kept odd hours, she knew, working for the government as he did. She’d ring him in the morning.

Taking another sip, she entered her living room, and stopped short.

“How did you get in here?”

From his seat on her couch, James smiled.

“I picked your lock,” he answered simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.

“Do you always break into other people’s homes?”

“No. Just yours.”

There was something in his expression, something that told her they’d had a similar conversation a time or two before.

“Don’t worry. I’m not here to hurt you,” he told her, and held his hands up to show her he had nothing in them.

“I know,” she said softly, knowing instinctively that he was telling her the truth; that she had no reason to fear him. In fact, she could not remember ever feeling so safe, as she felt with him in her home. “I know you’re not.”

He smiled, and Olivia felt her heart quicken its beat. She’d had the same reaction when he’d kissed the back of her hand in the restaurant.

She wanted to know why. Why did he have this effect on her? Who was he to her? These, and the numerous other questions that had been flooding her mind since he’d stopped her in the restaurant came rushing back at her.

No. Not since the restaurant, she corrected herself. She’d been asking herself who he was, and how she knew him, since she had first dreamt of him.

“How do I know you?” Olivia asked him, then slowly moved further into the room. She set her teacup down on the coffee table, then crossed her arms over her chest, and looked him straight in the eyes. “The truth this time.”


	4. Chapter 4

“The truth this time.”

James held Olivia’s steady gaze.

Christ, he had missed her beautiful blue eyes so much. Eyes that were currently staring into his, awash with confusion, curiosity, and trust. It was the trust that touched him the most. Even without her memory, she trusted him.

Trusted him to tell her the truth.

The truth. 

The thing was, as much as he wanted to simply blurt everything out to her, spilling his guts in a way he’d never done even under the cruellest torture, he knew he couldn’t.

Not until he knew more about what happened to her.

He had a fairly good idea, but he needed to hear it from her.

Before he could lose himself any further in her eyes, James pushed himself to his feet. “We worked together.”

It wasn’t a lie.

Olivia tilted her head, her eyes narrowing as she pinned him with a shrewd look. “There has to be more to it than that. What aren’t you telling me, James?”

James sighed. “Quite a lot actually.” He held his hand up to stop her from speaking. “I want to tell you everything, Olivia. God knows I want nothing more than that, and for purely selfish reasons, and I promise I will tell you everything you want to know, but before I do that, there are a few answers I need.”

“What can I possibly tell you? I’m the one with no memory.”

“I know,” he replied quietly, as he moved around the table, and stepped closer to her. “I know you don’t remember right now. That’s why I need to tread carefully. It’s been almost a year, and you’ve obviously not remembered anything on your own.” He saw something in her eyes that made him pause. “Or have you?”

“There have been flashes. Dreams. Nothing I can really put a finger on,” she admitted quietly. “And most of it has been of you.”

James could not help smiling a little at her admission.

“What are we to each other, James?” Olivia asked him.

“Everything.”

**~*007*~**

Olivia’s eyes grew wide at his whispered response, and without conscious thought, she reached out and cupped his cheek, surprised when his eyes closed, and she felt a shudder pass through him.

“Tell me,” she pleaded softly. “Please, James.”

He covered her hand with his, holding it against his cheek, then opened his eyes.

The same beautiful blue eyes she’d been seeing in her dreams for the last eleven months; filled with so much emotion it took her breath away.

“I want to. Very much so,” he told her, repeating his earlier words. “But I need you to tell me what happened to you first.” He pressed her hand more firmly to his cheek. “Please.”

She searched his eyes. “All right,” she said, a few moments later.

His fingers curled around her hand, then he turned his head, and pressed a kiss to her palm. “Thank you.”

She inhaled sharply at the feeling of his lips brushing against her skin.

“Let’s sit down,” he suggested, as he released her hand, then stepped away from her, and gestured to her sofa.

Snagging her teacup, Olivia walked around the table, and sank down on the couch, settling into the corner, facing James as he sat in the opposite corner.

She took a sip of the tea, then asked, “Where do I start?” 

“When you woke up in the hospital.”

“You know about the accident?” She was surprised, and yet something told her she shouldn’t be.

“Probably more than you do.”

She frowned. Both from the knowledge that he probably did know more about it, and from the hint of anger she heard in his voice.

Olivia took another, longer drink of her tea, then began to talk. “When I woke up in the hospital, I could not remember anything. Not my name, what had happened to me, nothing. It was the doctor who eventually told me my name, but that’s all he would tell me. A few days later, Gareth showed up, and began to fill in the blanks.”

“What did he tell you?”

“That I’d been in a terrible accident, and that I was lucky to be alive. Apparently, they almost lost me twice on the operating table.”

She saw James’ hand clench into a fist on his thigh.

“He explained that I was a widow, that I’d lost my husband, Reginald, Gareth said his name was, to a heart attack several years before. That I had no children, and that he was my only living relative. My nephew through my marriage to Reginald. When I was well enough, a couple of months after the accident, Gareth brought me here.” She paused to sip her tea.

James glanced around her living room, and she found herself following his gaze.

“Nothing here was familiar to me,” she continued. “Gareth told me it was because I’d only just bought the place a month before the accident, but had not moved in yet because I was having it painted. But even after I was moved in, and Gareth brought my things out from storage, nothing was familiar.”

“That’s because you spent very little time among them,” James told her.

She raised a curious eyebrow.

“You were very work oriented,” he offered with a small smile.

“Was I?”

“Yes,” he replied. “And of the items you have here from your old place, many of them were in the flat when you bought it after your husband died, so they held no significant meaning for you.”

“Well, that explains that, then,” Olivia remarked with a wry smile.

James nodded, then asked her, “What about the couple you had dinner with this evening, the ones who drove you home, when did you meet them?”

“A couple weeks after I moved in here. Arthur and Connie Woodeson. They live on the next street over. I met Connie at the gardening club I joined, at Gareth’s insistence that I get out, and we’ve become quite good friends.”

“What about Arthur?”

“He’s all right. I don’t spend as much time with him as I do with Connie. Why?”

James shook his head. “No reason. Just curious.”

Olivia looked at him thoughtfully. “I’m not certain I entirely believe you.”

He chuckled, then grinned.

Before she could ask him what was so amusing, the clock on the wall next to the bay window began to chime.

“Oh shit!” James swore, looking from the clock to his watch. “Is that really the time?”

Olivia looked at the clock.

It was almost eleven o’clock.

James suddenly stood. “I have to go.”

“You can’t!” she exclaimed, setting her cup on the table, as she scrambled to her feet. “You haven’t told me anything yet, and you promised you would.”

“Yes, I did. But I never said when I would tell you,” he pointed out, as he moved out from behind the coffee table.

Olivia followed after him. “James! James, you promised!”

He stopped. “I did promise, and I always keep my promises where you are concerned.”

“Then - ”

“It’s late, Olivia. I need to get back to London, and take care of a few things. A few _VERY_ important things. And if all goes as I hope it will, I will come back tomorrow, and I will tell you absolutely everything you want to know.”

She eyed him suspiciously.

“I never lie to you, Olivia,” he told her softly. “Please believe me when I tell you that. I can’t lie to you, because you are the one person in this world I trust implicitly. The only person.”

As she had done earlier, Olivia searched his eyes for any indication that he was lying to her. She found only honesty and sincerity in the blue depths.

“You promise to come back?”

“Yes.” He nodded his head emphatically. “I just found you. I won’t lose you again.”

The emotion she could hear in his vow warmed her heart. “I believe you.”

“Thank you.”

“Just… before you leave,” she began. “Will you tell me what you meant earlier when you answered ‘everything’ to my question of what we are to each other.”

His brow furrowed, and Olivia knew he was trying to decide if he should say anything.

“Please, James.”

He nodded, then surprised her by turning, and walking over to the small desk she had tucked in the corner to one side of the bay window. She watched as he grabbed a pen, and scribbled something on a piece of paper. He dropped the pen, folded the paper, and crossed back over to her.

“Here,” he handed her the paper.

She took it, then unfolded it and read it.

MOV A3 S2 L16-18

She looked back up at him. “What does this mean?”

“Everything,” James replied with a smile. “M O V, that would be the Merchant of Venice,” he told her, as he stepped closer.

Olivia gazed up at him, as he took her chin in his fingers, his other hand gently grasping her shoulder, then leaned down to feather a soft kiss over her lips.

“I’ll be back tomorrow,” he promised in a whisper, kissing her softly again, then walked out of the room.

Olivia’s eyes dropped to the slip of paper again, as she heard her front door open, then close. She moved over to the bay window, and looked out into the night to see James on his mobile, striding out of her driveway, and down the street.

It occurred to her in that moment that she had no idea just _how_ James had followed her from London to Esher. Had he driven himself or… a black taxi coming into view, and stopping in front of James provided her answer. She watched him slide into the back of the taxi, and then he was gone.

She suddenly felt very alone, but pushed the feeling away. James had promised her that he would return tomorrow, and she believed him.

And tomorrow she would learn who she was.

Her attention was drawn back to the piece of paper in her hands.

MOV A3 S2 L16-18

“The Merchant of Venice,” she murmured, repeating James’ hint.

She turned away from the window, and walked the few steps to her desk, pulled out the chair, then sat down, and opened her computer. Dropping the paper to the desk, she quickly called up Google, and typed in a search for Shakespeare’s play, specifying the act and scene – which she’d quickly deduced the other numbers indicated.

Several options appeared almost instantly.

She clicked on one, then when the page loaded, she sought out the correct line, and read it aloud,  
“One half of me is yours, the other half yours-   
Mine own, I would say. But if mine, then yours,  
And so all yours.”

Olivia felt breathless as she read the line again, her heart beating faster with every word, and what they implied.

She slowly removed her wedding ring. 

Holding it up, she read the inscription on the inside that she had been trying to decipher since she discovered it ten months earlier.

MOV A3 S2 L16-18

How had he known about the inscription? Was it something she had told him about, or something she’d shown him? And if she had told him about it, or showed it to him, why? Was he family?

She shook her head. No. She was certain he would have told her if they were.

They’d worked together. That’s what he’d told her. But when? Doing what?

She sighed.

More questions.

And there was the kiss.

She licked her lips.

“What are we to each other, James?” she repeated her earlier question to the empty room, then heard his softly uttered reply again.

_“Everything.”_

**~*007*~**

“How’d the visit with your aunt go?”

James met Ronald’s eyes in the rear view mirror, and smiled. “Very well, thank you.”

“Good.” The driver nodded. “So, where would you like me to drop you off? I’m assuming you don’t want to go back to the restaurant.”

James shook his head, then rattled off the address for his flat. There was something he needed to grab before he confronted Mallory.

He felt a vibration in his pocket, and reached inside his jacket to grab his phone. He looked at the display, and grimaced.

Another message from Madeleine.

Shit, he thought. He’d forgotten all about her.

He read the message.

Another one telling him how worried she was, wondering where he was, would he please call, and that she loved him.

“Fuck!” he swore under his breath, debating on whether or not he should reply.

If he did reply, odds were she’d try calling, and he wasn’t ready to talk with her just yet. He needed to deal with Mallory first.

He closed the message app. He’d deal with her later, though he suspected his sudden disappearance from dinner would make ending their relationship just that little bit easier.

James opened the mobile’s picture gallery, flipping through the pictures until he found the one he was looking for.

He smiled.

For over a year, this was all he’d had left of Olivia. A few pictures in his phone, and that infuriatingly, ugly ceramic bulldog of hers sitting on the coffee table in his flat.

_“What are we to each other, James?”_ Her question whispered in his mind.

“Everything,” he murmured to himself.

And I plan to get that everything back, he vowed.


	5. Chapter 5

“Are you’re sure okay with waiting?”

In the front seat of the taxi, Ronald nodded. “Of course, Mr. Bond. In fact, I’ll even turn the meter off.”

“No, don’t do that,” James said.

“It’s the least I can do after two such very large fares,” the other man told him, as he stopped the taxi’s meter. “And your very generous tips.”

“Thanks, Ronald,” James replied. “I’ll be ten minutes at the most.”

“I’ll be here.”

James nodded, opened the door, then got out of the taxi. Entering the building for his flat, and not wanting to wait for the lift, he ran up the stairs, taking them two at a time.

Reaching his door, he unlocked it, then stepped inside.

He wrinkled his nose at the flat, stale smell as he headed directly for his bedroom. Not bothering with the light, he crossed over to his night table, and yanked open the drawer. Reaching inside, he pulled out a small security box, and held it to his chest as he closed the drawer.

Having retrieved what he came for, he left his bedroom, snagging the extra set of keys he kept on his dresser as he walked past it.

He left his flat, locking his door, then hurried back outside, and climbed back into the waiting taxi.

“Where to now, Mr. Bond?” “Ronald asked.

“Call me James,” he told Ronald, then gave him the address. “And start the meter again.”

Ronald nodded, turned the fare meter back on, put the car in drive, then pulled away from the curb.

As the taxi manoeuvred its way through the still busy London streets, James placed the security box on his lap, then unlocked it.

He stared at the contents.

He had only looked at them once since Olivia’s death, and had vowed then that it would be the last time, as it was far too painful a reminder. Now, however, it would be what helped to save and heal him.

James lifted the lone document from inside the box, and unfolded it, giving it a quick glance. He smiled, then refolded it, and slipped it into his jacket’s inner pocket. Next, he pulled out the second, and final item, and simply held it in the palm of his hand.

He would wait for this one, he thought, closing his hand around it, holding it tight for a few seconds, before he slipped it into his trouser pocket. Yes, he’d wait until he was back with Olivia for this one.

Closing the security box, he tossed it onto the seat next to him, and began to formulate his plan of attack.

**~*007*~**

He watched Ronald drive away, then looked up at the monstrosity that used to be the Centre for National Security, but was now the new home for MI6.

James shook his head.

And he’d thought Vauxhall was ugly. This building made the other one look like fine architecture.

Entering the building, he flashed the guard his ID, then grabbed the lift, and pressed the button for the top floor where Mallory’s office was now located.

He put his left hand inside his pocket. Soon, he thought, his fingers curling around the item.

The lift stopped, and he got off, then made his way down the short hall. He walked into the outer office, surprised to find Tanner and Moneypenny there.

“Is he in?” James asked without preamble, gesturing to the closed door that led to Mallory’s office. “And is he alone?”

“Yes to both,” Bill replied.

“Thank you,” James said, and strode across the small room toward the door.

“James, wait!” 

James ignored his friend, and threw open the door, and barged into Mallory’s office.

“007! What are you - ”

James cut him off. “Why didn’t you tell me she was alive?”

“Who?”

“You know damn well who! Olivia,” James growled. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“I did not see that it was any of your concern,” Mallory responded in an infuriatingly calm voice. “She woke up with no memory, unable to remember anything about her life; unable to remember who she was. So for all intents and purposes, the Olivia Mansfield we knew was dead.”

“You still should have told me.”

“And why is that, 007?” Mallory asked.

“Did it ever occur to you that I could have helped her? That seeing me, or even Tanner, could have sparked her memory? For Christ’s sake, between the both of us we’ve known her for over twenty years!”

“To be honest, yes, that thought did occur to me, but the doctor felt it would not have made any difference.”

Well, James thought, at least he’d considered it. That was something. But the anger he’d felt since finding her, and realizing how much time they’d lost because of the man in front of him was still present.

“Why is that?”

“The doctor diagnosed her with Dissociative Amnesia,” Mallory explained. “Psychological trauma brought on by being shot, and dying.”

James closed his eyes as that horrible moment in the chapel came back to him. Holding Olivia in his arms as she drew her last breath.

Or so he’d thought at the time.

He opened his eyes. “But she didn’t die, apparently, so I am assuming the med team was able to revive her. Why wasn’t I told then?”

Mallory sighed. “I made the decision not to tell you, just in case it was temporary. And it damn near was.”

“So I’ve been told,” James said, smirking just a little at the surprised rise of Mallory’s eyebrows. He nodded, silently answering the other man’s unasked question. “Regardless of the situation, or the doctor’s prognosis, you still should have told me she was alive. I had a right to know.”

“How’s that?”

“Because Olivia is my wife,” James told him.

“I beg your pardon?”

“What?!”

James turned at the twin exclamations that tripped over Mallory’s, to see Tanner and Moneypenny standing in the doorway with shocked expressions on their faces. He shifted so he was talking to all three of them.

“Olivia is my wife,” he said again. “We were married, quietly, a year after Reginald passed away.”

As he explained, James reached into his jacket’s inner pocket, and pulled out the folded sheet of paper. He handed it to Mallory.

“This is our marriage certificate.”

Mallory took it, unfolded it, and read it over. “I’ll be damned,” he muttered. “I knew she was sentimental about you, but I obviously did not see the whole picture.”

“You and M are married, James?” Bill asked, stepping further into Mallory’s office, Moneypenny following. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

James turned to answer his friend.

“For the same reason I did not tell you, any of you, that she was still alive,” Mallory said before James could answer Tanner.

His head snapped back around to Mallory.

“How do you figure that?” James asked.

“Why didn’t you or Olivia tell anyone you were married? To protect her, am I right? You’re a Double-0. You’ve made lots of enemies since gaining your license to kill. Just as Olivia had done when she was a Double-0,” Mallory explained. “If any of your enemies knew she was your wife, they could potentially use that knowledge against either one of you.”

James nodded. It was an issue they had discussed countless times, even before they had married, and was one of the reasons they had decided, in the end, to keep their relationship, and then their marriage, a secret.

“We also did not know if Silva was working alone, or if he had accomplices.”

“Which we now know he had,” James muttered, remembering the connection Q had discovered between Silva and Blofeld.

Mallory nodded. “In her vulnerable state, unable to recall anything about herself, she would have been utterly defenceless,” Mallory continued. “So I made the decision not to tell anyone.”

“If Blofeld was hacked into all the defence systems, and monitoring everything, how is it that he wasn’t aware that she was still alive?” Moneypenny asked.

“Good question.” Tanner turned curious eyes on Mallory.

“Because he gave her someone else’s identity.” James looked pointedly at Mallory. “There is more than one Olivia Mansfield living in the UK, so he simply stole one of theirs, am I right?”

“Yes.”

“Clever,” Tanner remarked.

“And it most likely saved her life,” Moneypenny said quietly.

James sank down into the chair in front of Mallory’s desk. The fight had suddenly gone out of him, and left him feeling drained. 

Moneypenny was right. Even though he hated to admit it, she was right. In all probability, Mallory’s actions had saved Olivia’s life.

James regard Mallory for a moment. “Moneypenny’s right. Your decision to keep Olivia’s condition a secret, in all likelihood, saved her life. I am very grateful to you for that, sir. Please believe me when I tell you that,” James told him. “But I am still pissed off that you didn’t say anything. At the very least to either me or Tanner. And because of your decision, I lost an entire year with my wife.”

“I am sorry for that, 007,” Mallory said sincerely.

James nodded, acknowledging the man’s apology.

“But perhaps you’re right. Perhaps I should have told you, even without the knowledge of your marital status, because as you pointed out, both you and Tanner have known her for many years. Maybe you could have reached her. I was, in all fairness, simply heeding doctor’s orders.”

“I know you were, sir. And again, what you did kept her safe, because if Blofeld _had_ known she was still alive, he would not have hesitated to use her against me. Just as he used her death to try and break me. So I thank you for that once more.”

Mallory nodded.

“How did you find her, James?” Moneypenny asked him.

“Yes, how _did_ you find her, 007?” Mallory repeated the question.

“She was dining in the same restaurant I was this evening,” James replied, then a small smile appeared on his face. “I heard her laugh. No one has a laugh quite like my wife’s. At first I thought I was hearing things; wishful thinking, and all that, as I had just been thinking about her. Then I happened to look up, and caught a glimpse of white hair.”

“So you got up to follow,” Bill said.

James nodded. “I thought I was dreaming, so I had to make sure one way or the other. I caught up to her at the front of the restaurant, and called her name. When she turned around, I still thought I was dreaming. But there was no recognition in her eyes,” he said sadly, then glanced up when he heard Moneypenny sniffle.

“Ouch! That must have been rough.”

“It was,” James responded, his gaze shifting to Tanner. “Unfortunately, I did not get much further than that before her friends returned from the toilet, and ushered her out.”

“Connie and Arthur?”

James nodded at Mallory’s question, a wry smile on his face. “As well as another couple. I assume, as a good nephew, you’ve had them checked out?”

A mild chagrined look came over Mallory’s face as he nodded. “Yes. They’re good people. Why?”

James shook his head, and shrugged. “Just a feeling,” he replied, remembering the dirty look Arthur had shot him when he had kissed Olivia’s hand. He resumed his story. “Before she left the restaurant, however, Olivia said my name.”

“I don’t understand why that’s significant,” Moneypenny said.

“I never told her my name.”

“Oh!”

“Yeah.”

“So I assume you followed her?” Mallory asked.

“I did. I caught a taxi, and followed her home.”

“The driver must have appreciated that fare.”

“And the tip,” James remarked sardonically. “To make a long story short, Olivia and I talked. She told me what had happened, so far as she knew, from when she woke up in the hospital. I left an hour later, with the promise that I would return tomorrow, and tell her everything. A promise I intend to keep,” he finished, looking pointedly at Mallory.

Mallory nodded.

“What are you going to do now?” Tanner asked.

“I’m going back to the hotel to end things with Madeleine, which I had planned to do over dinner,” James replied. “That should be much easier now.”

“Why’s that?”

“I deserted her in the restaurant when I saw Olivia, and I’ve not replied to any of her text messages.”

“Ooh!” Eve winced.

James sighed, and nodded. “Yeah…”

**~*007*~**

He stood in the doorway of the bedroom in the suite at the Dorchester he shared with Madeleine.

She was asleep.

He sighed, then turned, and walked back into the main room of the suite. As anxious as he was to end things with her, he didn’t have the heart to wake her.

He sank down into the lone arm chair, and closed his eyes.

He’d tell her in the morning.


	6. Chapter 6

A hard slap to his face woke him.

His eyes snapped open, and he raised his arm up just in time to stop the second blow from reaching his cheek. He grasped her wrist, and shot her a warning look.

She yanked her arm free.

“Where the hell have you been?!” Demanded a fuming Madeleine, planting her hands on her hips, and glaring at him. “I’ve been worried sick about you! You walk out on me without so much as a word, and then you don’t answer your phone, or respond to my messages.”

“I’m sorry, Madeleine,” James apologized. “Something came up, and I had to leave in a hurry.”

“And what was so vitally important that you couldn’t spare even a moment to tell me you were leaving?”

“My wife,” he said simply.

“Your… your wife?” 

James nodded.

“You’re married?”

“Yes.”

“Salaud!” Madeleine spat, then threw herself at him, and began to pummel him with her fists, as she continued to swear at him in French. “Fils de pute!”

One of her hands caught his cheek, the other scratched his neck before he was able to grab hold of her wrists. She continued to struggle against him, attempting to kick him as he got to his feet, then tossed her onto the couch.

“That’s enough!” he told her sternly, then shoved her back down when she sprang up onto her feet almost instantly. He pointed a finger at her. “Stay there! Don’t make me tie you up!”

“You wouldn’t dare!”

“Try me,” he threatened. He understood her reaction, and had expected it, but he was too tired to play games, and was anxious to get this conversation over and done with so he could get back to Olivia.

She glared at him, and crossed her arms, but remained on the sofa. Satisfied she wasn’t going to move, he sat back down in the chair, and watched as she pulled herself together.

“I’m sorry,” she said, in a calm, quiet voice. “That was uncalled for. I should not have attacked you.”

“I would have been more surprised if you hadn’t.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were married, James?”

“Because up until last night, I believed my wife was dead.”

Madeleine shook her head. “I don’t understand. How could you not know your wife was alive?”

“She died in my arms a little under a year ago after being shot.”

“In your arms… then how…?”

“The medics were able to revive her on the way to the hospital.”

“Then why has she waited so long to contact you, and let you know she was alive?”

“She didn’t. I spotted her last night at the restaurant,” James told her. “And the reason she hasn’t contacted me, is because she has amnesia.”

“Well, that’s convenient,” Madeleine said sarcastically. “Oh, James, don’t you see what’s happening? This woman, whoever she is, is playing on your emotions, on the grief you still bear. She obviously knows you were married.”

James shook his head. “Only three people knew we were married. The judge, and our two witnesses. No one else. One of the witnesses is dead, the other I would trust with my life. Besides, he lives in the US.”

“Perhaps she found out somehow; coerced it out of your friend in America, or from your other witness before they died,” Madeleine suggested. “Really, James, you know better than anyone how to get information out of people. Either way, maybe you should have her DNA tested to make certain it is her.”

“I don’t need to do that to know she’s my wife.”

“I never thought you a foolish man, James.”

“That’s not it. I have proof. But even if I didn’t, I would know it’s her.”

Madeleine sighed. “So what happens now? Are you going back to her?”

“Yes.” James nodded. “I am still very much in love with her. I’ve never stopped being in love with her.”

“But you love me, too, James. I know you do.”

“I care a great deal about you; more than I have about anyone in a long time,” James told her. “But no, I’m not in love with you. I’m sorry, Madeleine. But I’m not.” He watched her eyes fill with tears, but she refused to let them fall. “When I walked away from Six, I wasn’t walking away because I was done with being a secret agent. I’m good at what I do, and I like it.”

Madeline shook her head.

“Yes, I do. I always have.”

“Then what were you walking away from?”

“Memories. I was walking from the memories,” he replied.

“You worked with her?”

He nodded. “I honestly thought I was ready to move on, that you could be the one to help me do that. But even after almost a year, I realized that I wasn’t ready; that I would never be ready.”

“Why not?”

“Because I still love her. Even when I thought she was dead, I still loved her, and I wasn’t ready to let her go.”

Madeleine sighed, and reached up to swipe angrily at the tears that had begun to fall. “But in Blofeld’s lab, I was the one who grounded you, the one who brought you back. You said so yourself, that you would recognize me anywhere.”

James shook his head. “It wasn’t you I was seeing,” he admitted quietly. “In my mind’s eye, it was my wife’s face, not yours.”

She sat up straighter, squaring her shoulders. “I see.”

“I never meant to hurt you.”

Madeleine drew in a slow, deep breath, then nodded. “I know, James.”

James got to his feet, and looked down at her. “The suite is paid until the end of the month. Stay if you wish,” he told her, then crossed the suite to the door. He opened the door, then paused, and looked back at her. “I am sorry, Madeleine,” he said softly, then walked out of the suite.

As the door closed behind him, he heard a glass shatter.

He sighed.

He truly did feel bad for hurting her, but he reminded himself that even if Olivia had not suddenly come back into his life, he would have ended things with her.

He reached the lifts, and pressed the button.

Olivia was all that mattered to him now, he thought as he waited.

A minute later, the lift arrived, and the doors opened. James stepped inside, and pressed the button for the lobby.

Olivia was all that had ever mattered to him.

**~*007*~**

James stepped out of the Dorchester, into the car park, frowning in surprise to find that it was still relatively dark.

He glanced at his watch.

5:30am

Well, that explained that.

While he was anxious to get to Olivia, and begin to help her remember her life, it was still far too early to do so. He supposed he could sneak into her house again, and wait for her, but he did not want to startle her unnecessarily.

A thought suddenly occurred to him, and he hurried over to his car.

**~*007*~**

Slowing his Aston Martin, James passed through the wrought iron gate, then continued along the pavement for several minutes more before he pulled over. He put on the parking brake, then turned off the engine, and stared out the window.

The sun had only just started to come up over the horizon, casting an orangey glow over the mausoleums and headstones in the cemetery.

Removing the key from the ignition, he opened the door, and got out of the car. He walked across the manicured lawn until he reached the grave he’d come to visit. He brushed the snow from the top of the dark marble gravestone, then dropped his eyes to the name engraved on it.

_Geoffrey Boothroyd_

“Hello, Q.”

A breeze blew through the cemetery, blowing the remaining dusting of snow off the top of the headstone.

“I found her, Q. She’s alive.” James smiled. “Olivia’s alive. She’s not quite herself, however. Amnesia. Mallory informed me that the doctors told him it was due to psychological trauma brought on by her dying, and being brought back several times. But she knew me, Q, and she told me she’s dreamt about me, so that means those memories are there; that my Olivia is still in there, and I mean to get her back.”

James crouched down in front of the headstone, and absently brushed away the snow from the base of it.

He missed the old Quartermaster. Major Boothroyd had been a good friend when he’d first signed on with Six. He’d been a little gruff at first, but James had quickly learned that his bark was worse than his bite, and the two had become friends.

Friends with Olivia since long before she’d become M, it had been Q that had noticed James’ fascination with her, and had warned the soon to be Double-0, knowing his tendency towards married women, not to pursue her; that she was happy with her husband.

James grinned. He remembered that conversation well. Q had threatened him with bodily harm if he chased after Olivia, and it had taken quite a lot on James’ part to convince the older man, that he felt differently about her.

_“There’s something special about her, Q,” James told his friend. “She’s unlike any woman I have ever met. I…” He trailed off with a shrug. “I can’t explain it, Q. If she’s happy with her husband, then no, I won’t pursue her. I promise.”_

_Q regarded him thoughtfully, then his eyes grew wide. “Why, Bond, I do believe you’re in love with her.”_

And the old Quartermaster had been right.

James had fallen in love with her.

After Reginald Mansfield had passed away, and James had been able to convince Olivia that he was sincere in his feelings, and they’d become a couple, Q had become their biggest supporter.

He had even, along with a visiting Felix, stood witness as he and Olivia had married a year later.

“I wish you were still here, old man. I could use your advice.” James sighed. “I’m just not entirely sure what to do, or how to jog her memory, other than simply telling her everything about herself, and hope something is familiar,” he admitted.

He sighed, then scrubbed a hand over his face. He frowned, and rubbed his cheek again, feeling the stubble on his chin and cheeks. That wouldn’t do, he thought, and then glanced down at his clothes. He was still wearing the suit he’d worn last night.

He couldn’t return to Olivia this way.

James looked at his watch.

6:45am

He nodded, and stood.

He’d go to his flat. Shower, shave, and maybe even catch an hour or two more of sleep.

And then he would drive out to Esher, to his wife, and get their life back.

James looked down at the grave marker again, and smiled. “Thanks, Q,” he said softly.


	7. Chapter 7

“Olivia, are you all right? You look like death warmed up.”

“Gee, thanks,” Olivia replied as she looked up from washing her hands to find Connie regarding her in the mirror with a concerned look on her face.

She sighed, and shook her head. No, she wasn’t all right.

Dark, unsettling images had haunted her dreams, not the pleasant ones she’d hoped for. She’d woken up several times, gasping for breath, and calling out for James.

Most of the images were hazy now, dulled by the passing hours and light of day, leaving her feeling very disconcerted. Only two images remained clear: crazed, hazel eyes set in an unfamiliar face framed by blond hair glaring maniacally at her, and worried, pained blue eyes.

James’ blue eyes.

It was only as the sun had begun to stream in through her bedroom window, that she realized everything she’d seen in her dreams were in fact memories. At least, she thought they were.

“Olivia?” Connie stepped closer. “Honey, are you all right?”

Olivia blinked. “Sorry. I have a headache,” she told her friend. “I didn’t sleep well last night.”

“Oh, why didn’t you say anything,” Connie admonished her. “I wouldn’t have asked you to come shopping with me, if I’d known.”

“It’s all right, Connie,” she said. “I wanted to get out of the house.”

Needed to get out was more accurate, Olivia thought, stepping over to the hand dryer.

Her dreams had left her feeling uneasy, and she was anxious to learn the truth behind them, at least what she remembered of them. She’d waited all morning for James to show up, and while he hadn’t told her when he would return, she had hoped it would be sooner rather than later.

When Connie had rung her, just after noon, to see if she wanted to join her for lunch, and some shopping, and James had still not put in an appearance, Olivia had accepted her friend’s invitation.

Now, however, she was wishing she had declined, and stayed home. She was quite tired, and it was making her head hurt more.

And, Olivia admitted to herself, she was hoping that James was there, as she was still feeling rather unsettled from her dreams, and she instinctively knew he would help calm her.

“Would you like to call it a day, then?” Connie asked when she finished drying her hands.

“Do you mind?”

“Of course not,” Connie replied with a smile. “Come on, I’ll take you home.”

“Thank you, Connie,” Olivia replied sincerely.

“Though I must admit,” Connie said, as they left the restaurant’s lavatory, “I am surprised you didn’t dream about that hunky young man.”

**~*007*~**

Olivia suppressed a sigh of disappointment as her house came into view.

There was no car in her driveway.

She wasn’t certain what she’d expected; she did not even know what kind of car James drove, or if he even drove at all, he had followed her in a taxi last night, after all, but she had expected something.

Connie pulled the car into Olivia’s driveway, and put it in park. She turned to Olivia. “You’ll call me if you need me?”

“Yes.” Olivia nodded.

“Get some rest, honey,” Connie told her, reaching out to pat her hand.

“I will,” she replied with a small smile, then opened the door, and climbed out of the car. She made her way to her front door, and unlocked it. She turned back to wave at Connie as she drove off, then entered her home.

Closing and locking the door, Olivia dropped her keys into her handbag, then walked into her living room.

She stopped in the doorway.

“Where the hell have you been?”

James smiled. “Sorry, I’m late,” he apologized. “I had intended to be here sooner, but I slept through my alarm,” he admitted with a sheepish expression.

“I thought, perhaps, that you’d changed your mind,” she said in a quiet voice, as she moved further into the room.

He shook his head. “Oh no! You almost had me here at the crack of dawn, but I did not think you’d appreciate waking up to find me sitting on your sofa.”

“I don’t know, it seems to have become a habit. You’ve done so twice already.”

James grinned. “Oh, you have no idea.”

“No. I don’t. But you are going to tell me, aren’t you? You did promise.”

“Yes, I did. That’s why I’m here,” he replied.

“Thank you,” she said softly, a small smile on her lips. “First though, may I ask you question.”

He nodded. “Of course.”

“How did you know…” She raised her left hand. “How did you know about the engraving and what it meant?”

James got up from the sofa, and walked over to her. To her surprise, he took her hand in his, and rubbed his thumb over the wide, gold band. “I know, because I’m the one who had the ring engraved. I’m the one who gave it to you.” He raised her hand to his lips, and brushed a kiss over the ring, then whispered, “You’re my wife, Olivia.”

Olivia’s eyes grew wide, as she felt her heart begin to pound furiously in her chest. “Your wife?”

“Yes.” James nodded, his lips moving against her fingers.

His wife!

His wife??

How could she be his wife? She was old enough to be his mother for Christ’s sake. She shook her head.

“Yes,” he repeated softly.

“I can’t be…”

“But you are,” James said, pressing another kiss to her ring, before releasing her hand, only to grasp her face in his hands. He stroked her cheeks with his thumbs; the corners of her mouth, and murmured quietly, “Let me prove it.”

Before she could utter a protest, his mouth was on hers, and he was kissing her.

Gently at first, his lips merely caressing hers, and then deeply when she parted her lips at the light pressure of his tongue.

Something came alive inside her.

She knew his taste, recognized the feeling of his tongue against hers.

James!

Olivia moaned.

Her hands, which she’d placed on his chest to push him away, fisted in his shirt as she pressed closer.

She smiled into the kiss when she felt one of his hands slide into her hair, the other dropping to her waist, then encircling her and pulling her closer, as he deepened the kiss.

After what felt like forever, their lips parted, and Olivia smiled up at him.

“James,” she whispered.

A brilliant smile broke across his face.

“Oh, James,” Olivia whispered again, reaching up to touch his face.

She cried out suddenly, as pain lanced through her head. “Ow! Oh God!” She clutched her head in her hands, as from temple to temple, searing, blinding, agonizing pain continued to torture her. “James… James it hurts… it hurts so much…”

Whimpering, the last thing Olivia saw, before she was enveloped in darkness, was James’ concerned, frightened face.

**~*007*~**

James stroked her cheeks with his thumbs; the corners of her mouth, and murmured quietly, “Let me prove it.”

He lowered his mouth to hers, and covered her mouth with his, kissing her as gently as he knew how. When she parted her lips under the light pressure of his tongue, it was only then that he deepened the kiss; his tongue delving into her mouth to meet and stroke hers.

He felt it in that instant.

That moment when Olivia, his Olivia, woke up.

She moaned, and he felt her fingers curl into his shirt, and felt her press closer.

Christ, he’d missed this.

Holding her. Kissing her.

He’d missed her.

The kiss slowly tapered off, and Olivia tilted her head back to look up at him.

“James,” she whispered.

James felt his heart begin to beat again as he looked into her eyes. Eyes that knew him; that held recognition in their blue depths.

He smiled. A large, face-splitting grin.

All of a sudden, Olivia cried out in pain, and clutch her head. “Ow! Oh god… James… James it hurts… it hurts so much…”

She looked up at him, pain clouding her eyes, and then passed out.

James held her close as she slumped against him.

He carefully lifted her into his arms, then holding her close to his chest, he carried her over to the sofa, and sat down, cradling her gently in his embrace. He brushed her hair from her forehead, then ducked his head to press a loving kiss to her soft skin.

The doctor had said this could happen.

Before leaving Mallory’s office the night before, James had asked him to get in touch with the doctor that had treated Olivia, and advise him that James would be calling him. He’d called when he’d returned to his flat before falling asleep.

When James had explained to the doctor that Olivia had been having flashes, and dreams, and had known his name without him telling her, the doctor had been surprised; he had never seen such a severe case of amnesia reverse after so long a period of time.

The doctor had then told James what to expect if Olivia’s memory did return.

Passing out as she had, after experiencing the burst of pain, were two of the symptoms the doctor had warned him about. He’d explained that the sudden onslaught of memories could be physically painful, and to cope, the body had a tendency to simply shut down.

The doctor had told James not to worry unless Olivia remained unconscious for more than an hour. If she woke up before the hour was up, and she had indeed recovered her memories, then to simply keep an eye on her, as she would doubtless experience numerous headaches for several days afterwards.

James looked down at the woman in his arms, and brushed the backs of his fingers against her cheek. He smiled. She’d known him again.

She stirred in his arms, and nestled closer.

He just hoped she would still remember when she woke again.


	8. Chapter 8

Olivia moaned softly, and snuggled closer to the warm body cradling hers, nuzzling her face against his throat with a soft hum of contentment. A familiar scent teased her nostrils, and she rubbed her nose against the warm skin, inhaling deeply.

“James…” she murmured, as she kissed the underside of his chin, then his jaw. “I had the most awful drea…” Her voice trailed off, as she lifted her head from his shoulder, and looked around. “Oh god…”

Olivia turned back to him.

“It wasn’t a dream.”

“No. It wasn’t a dream. More like a nightmare,” James replied, as he reached up to cup her cheek. “Welcome back, Mrs. Bond.”

Olivia’s eyes filled with tears, and she gave him a watery smile, as she sat up, and grasped his face in her hands. “Thank you, Mr. Bond.”

Their mouths met in a passionate kiss.

Low moans escaped them both as lips parted, and tongues met. Their hands wandered, stroking and caressing each other, gliding over soft familiar curves, and hard familiar muscles.

Olivia could feel James growing hard beneath her, and felt an answering warmth between her thighs. She shifted, pressing more firmly against him, and smiled into the kiss when his hand clenched on her hip.

Her arousal grew swiftly, surging to life after almost a year of lying dormant, and suddenly, more than anything, Olivia wanted to make love with James. To reconnect emotionally, and physically with the man she loved. It did not matter that they hadn’t been together, in every sense of the word, for almost a year, all she knew was that she wanted to be with him now. 

She slid her hand up his arm, skimming over his shoulder to cup the side of his face once more. Her eyes opened, and she pulled out of the kiss when she felt the dampness of his skin under her palm.

He was crying. 

“James…?” Olivia whispered.

“It just really hit me,” he replied in a hoarse voice. “I’ve got you back.” He stroked her side, from waist to thigh. “I’ve really got you back, Olivia.”

She sat up fully in his lap, then cradling his face in her hands, she leaned close, and kissed the tears from his face. “We’ve got each other back,” she murmured in between kisses.

James wrapped his arms around her, burying his face against her throat, as she wound her arms around his head; Olivia holding him in her embrace, as he cradled her in his lap.

“I love you so much, Olivia.”

“I love you, too, James,” she replied, pressing a kiss into his hair.

They sat quietly together, simply holding each other.

“Olivia,” James began in a quiet voice, a short time later. “There’s something I need to tell you.”

Olivia shook her head. “There’s no need,” she responded, knowing he was going to tell her that he hadn’t been celibate since her death. “We’ve been over this before, James, it’s part of your job, I know this.”

“One wasn’t,” he told her, his voice still low.

Oh.

She swallowed.

The women James slept with were, harsh as it sounded, of little consequence; simply means to an end on missions; meant to be fucked and forgotten.

Olivia knew this.

Seduction and sex were very powerful weapons in the field. In many ways, far more effective than a gun, or any gadget Q-division could dream up; weapons James wielded very well. Weapons she herself had used just as masterfully when she was a Double-0.

“What’s her name?”

James sighed deeply. “Madeleine Swann. She’s the daughter of our friend, Mr. White from Quantum.”

“Do you love her?”

He lifted his head from her shoulder, and met her eyes. “No. I thought I might be able to, that maybe I was ready to move on, but I wasn’t,” he told her. “I realized I was using her to escape my memories. Last night, at the restaurant, I was planning to end it with her, and tell her I was going back to Six. But before I could say anything to her, I heard a familiar laugh.” He smiled, and raised his hand to cradle the side of her face. “A laugh I would know anywhere; a laugh I thought I’d never hear again, and I got up to follow it.”

Olivia’s eyes grew wide. “You didn’t?”

“I did.”

“You left her sitting there alone?!”

“Yes.”

“Oh, James!”

“I had to follow you,” he explained. “I had, literally, just found you. I wasn’t about to lose you, or let you go again.”

She nodded. She would have done the same thing had their situation been reversed. And she was grateful. Her past was no longer limited to the last eleven months.

“That’s why you had to leave last night, isn’t it?”

James nodded.

“Is she the one who did this to you?” Olivia lightly fingered the bruise on his cheek just under his eye. “And gave you these?” She lowered her hand to ghost a touch over the scratches on his neck.

“Yeah.”

This Madeleine, Olivia thought, as she lowered her head to kiss the bruise, then the scratches, had fallen in love with him.

She wasn’t the first. Many women, young and old, had lost their hearts to England’s top secret agent.

Including her.

The difference, however, was that she’d stolen his heart in return.

She feathered another kiss to the scratches, then the bruise, and finished with a loving kiss to his lips.

“There’s more, isn’t there?” Olivia asked when she ended the kiss.

“Yes.” James nodded, then sighed. “She’d begun to talk about settling down, about getting married, and starting a family.”

So that was it, Olivia realized. While she and James had talked about retiring together after their fifth anniversary, they had never once considered settling down, and sticking their feet up the chimney.

Olivia knew James did not want children, had never wanted children, and there was also the matter of, “Did you tell her?”

“No.” James shook his head. “And she kept pressuring me to quit MI6 outright, and leave that life behind.”

And that, Olivia realized was, the nail in the coffin. James loved what he did, and he was good at it.

“At first I thought that perhaps it had been too soon, that maybe if I had met her after a little more time had passed, but that wasn’t it. I just realized that I wasn’t ready to move on, to love another person, and that I never would be. This last year has shown me that.”

Olivia shook her head. “James…”

“I know. I know one day I’m going to lose you, Olivia. _Really_ lose you. But not until we’ve had many more years together,” James told her. “We’ve been given a second chance.”

“Yes we have.”

“Let’s not waste it,” he said, sliding his hand up from her hip to the middle of her back, and drew her closer. He rubbed his nose against hers, and ghosted a kiss over her lips.

“No,” she whispered her agreement, then closed the distance between their mouths.

As before, the kiss started slow, but quickly grew hungry, and passionate. His erection, which had waned as they’d talked, swelled beneath her again, and she circled her arse against him. James growled, and rolled his hips, and Olivia felt her pussy throb in response.

They carefully manoeuvred so that they were stretched out on the sofa, and Olivia moaned as James covered her body with his.

“I want you so much,” James told her, his breath hot against her ear as he nipped her earlobe, and slipped a well-muscled thigh between hers, and pressed it firmly against her sex.

“Oh god…” Olivia reached down to grab his arse, as she rocked against his thigh, and lifted her head to bite his shoulder when his hand closed around her breast, squeezing it before twisting her nipple between his fingers. “James…”

He nipped her chin, as he continued to fondle her breast through her clothes, smiling when he felt her nipple harden under his teasing touch, then kissed her again; quick, nibbling kisses before kissing her deeply.

“What the devil is going on here?!"

They broke out of the kiss to find Connie and Arthur standing in the doorway of the living room, both red-faced.

“Fuck!” James swore under his breath, a sentiment Olivia shared. She sighed, and gently shoved James’ shoulder. He nodded, and shifted his body off hers, then climbed off the sofa, and gave her a hand up.

“Olivia, what’s going on?” Arthur demanded. “I was under the impression you had a headache, at least that’s what Connie told me.”

“I did have a headache,” she replied calmly, as she and James stepped around the coffee table to stand before them.

“You certainly found the right cure for it,” Connie remarked with a grin, as she looked James over appreciatively.

Olivia bit back a smile at Connie’s comment, and was reminded, once again, why she liked the other woman. 

“Connie!” Arthur admonished, looking down at her with a scowl, which Olivia noticed she ignored, and continued to eye James.

“What are you doing here?” Olivia asked, pushing her irritation at Arthur’s rudeness to his sister aside.

“We wanted - ”

“Connie mentioned that you had a headache,” Arthur cut her off, “and that you weren’t feeling well, so I thought we should see how you were doing.”

Olivia felt James’ body tense, and glanced up at him. His face was impassive, but he was staring at Arthur with hard eyes.

“As you can see, she’s perfectly fine now,” James said.

“And you are?” Arthur enquired.

“This is my husband, James,” Olivia told them, slipping her hand into his. “James Bond.”

“Husband? Olivia does that mean…” Connie’s face broke into a wide smile. “Did you get your memory back?”

“I did, yes,” she answered, returning her friend’s smile.

Connie rushed forward, and hugged her. “Oh god, honey, I am so happy for you!” she said, then turned to James, and held her hand out to him. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“It’s nice to meet you too, Mrs. Woodeson.”

Connie laughed. “Oh no! Not Mrs. Woodeson is my maiden name. And please, call me Connie.”

James smiled, and shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, Connie.”

Connie’s smile grew, and when James released her hand, she gestured to the man behind her. “This is my brother Arthur.”

“Husband?” Arthur asked, ignoring James’ outstretched hand. “You’re joking.”

“No. I’m quite serious,” Olivia replied, as James stepped back to stand beside her, their hands brushing. She frowned at Arthur’s lack of manners. “In fact, we’ve been married for almost four years now.”

“A little young don’t you think?”

“Not at all.”

“If he’s your husband, where has be been this last year, hmm?”

“I was told she had died,” James answered Arthur.

“Who would do something like that?” Connie’s face held a horrified expression at the thought. “And why?”

“The who was Gareth,” Olivia told her.

“Gareth? Why would he do that?”

“To protect her,” James said.

“From what? What would she need protecting from?” Arthur asked.

Olivia and James exchanged glances, and she nodded imperceptibly. He turned back to the Woodesons.

“Olivia is the former head of the British Secret Intelligence Service,” James informed them. “As such, she’s made a number of enemies over the years. As have I. She was nearly killed because of it, which is why Gareth chose to keep her amnesia, and the fact that she was alive, a secret.”

The fact that their marriage had also been a secret was none of their business.

“I don’t believe it.” Arthur shook his head. “Not one word.”

James shrugged. “That’s your prerogative. It does not make it any less true.”

“I knew there was a woman in charge, but I could never remember her name,” Connie said, stepping over to her, then whispered, with a touch of awe in her voice, “MI6?”

“MI6.” Olivia nodded.

“Oh my…”

“Don’t be daft, Connie.” Arthur looked at his sister. “There’s no way Olivia was in charge of MI6.”

“And why not? Because she’s a woman?”

“That, and you’ll forgive me, not a very intimidating one.”

James snorted, and shook his head. “Looks can be deceiving. Trust me, Olivia can be very intimidating when she wants to be.”

“Whether you believe it or not, does not matter,” Olivia stated in a firm voice, allowing a little of the M that, over the years, had many an agent and government official quaking with fear to show through. “It’s true. Just as it’s true that James is my husband.”

Connie shook her head, and shot her brother a dirty look. “Ignore him, Olivia. You know how obtuse he can be. I for one am thrilled. The head of MI6! I’ll be! I bet you have some delicious stories to tell.”

Olivia couldn’t help chuckling. “I do. One day, I’ll tell you a few.”

“Only if you promise to start with how you snagged this handsome fellow,” Connie responded, grinning at James.

“I promise,” she replied, glancing at James to see an amused glint in his eyes.

“Good!” Connie said. “We’re going to go now.” She looked pointedly at her brother. “We just wanted to check on you, make sure you were all right, and you are. And, it’s obvious that you and James have some catching up to do.

Olivia smiled at her friend. “Thank you, Connie.”

“You’re welcome.” Connie hugged her, and whispered, “I want all the dirty details, too.”

She shook her head as her friend released her, then stepped over to James, and surprised him with a quick hug as well.

“It was nice meeting you, James.”

“Likewise, Connie.”

“Let’s go if we’re going.” Arthur’s voice was gruff, and annoyed sounding.

Connie rolled her eyes, as she looked at Olivia. “I’ll ring you.”

“Okay.”

The other woman turned, and glared at her brother as she pointed toward the front door. “Let’s go.”

Without saying a word, Arthur turned, and then walked out of the house.

“He really was concerned about you,” Connie said. 

“I know, Connie.” Olivia walked over to her friend, and hooked her arm through hers, walking her to the front door. “I know.”

They embraced quickly again, then Connie left. Olivia closed and locked the door, then returned to the living room to find James frowning once again.

“You don’t trust him.”

“No.” James shook his head.

“Why not?”

“Just a feeling,” he answered. “I don’t like the way he looks at you.”

“How does he look at me?”

“Olivia.” James fixed her with a look.

“You’re joking.”

“I’m not. Arthur Woodeson wants you.”

Olivia closed the distance between them, and slid her hands up his chest to his shoulders, then laced her fingers behind his neck. “Well, he can’t have me. I’m spoken for.”

James wrapped her arms around her. “Yes you are.”

She urged him to lower his head, and they shared a sweet kiss until a low grumble interrupted them. They laughed out of the kiss, as another grumble followed. Olivia patted his stomach. “When did you eat last?”

“I grabbed a quick bite early this morning.”

“Let’s go make some dinner, then, shall we?”

“Wouldn’t you rather order in?”

“I’ll have you know I’ve become quite the cook these last several months,” Olivia told him, as she stepped out of his arms.

“Well, something good came out of all this, then,” James deadpanned.

“Just for that, you get to wash the dishes.”

James laughed as he followed her into the kitchen.


	9. Chapter 9

“See anything interesting?”

James shook his head as Olivia slipped her arms around him from behind, and laid her head against his back. He covered her hands with his, and held them to his chest, as he continued to stare out the window.

“Thank you for helping with dinner,” she said softly. “I’d missed that without even knowing it.”

James laced his fingers with hers, and squeezed gently, telling her without words, that he’d missed it - sharing the simple act of cooking a meal together - too. “I would have washed the dishes, you know.”

Olivia laughed, and nodded against his back. “I know. But there wasn’t a lot to do. I just tossed everything into the dishwasher. I’ll run it tomorrow before we head to London. Which reminds me, did you move your car into the driveway?”

“Yes,” James replied, then twisted his body, bringing her with him, so she could look out the window. “See.”

“Is that… James! Is that the DB5?”

“Yes.”

“It can’t be. I thought Silva blew it up!?”

“He did.”

Olivia’s brow furrowed. She remembered seeing the explosion; remembered her heart breaking for James, knowing how much he loved that car. Moments after that, the manor had gone up as well, and fear had clenched her heart in an icy grip.

She shuddered at the memory.

James tugged her arms more firmly around him, as if he knew exactly what she was thinking, and gripped her fingers just that little bit tighter. She nodded, then rubbed her cheek against his back, and relaxed.

They were both all right.

Now.

“Then how?” she asked, turning her attention back to the car.

“We managed to salvage quite a bit of her, and Q put her back together,” James told her. “He even added a few more special features. The boy’s slowly getting there. Given a few more years, he just might make a proper Quartermaster.”

“I’m glad Gareth kept him on.”

“So am I. He really came through with that Spectre mess.”

James had told her all about it as they’d cooked, then eaten their dinner. How he’d followed her last orders to find and kill Marco Sciarra, and everything that had followed as a consequence, which had, ultimately, resulted in his finding her again.

“Good. I knew I’d chosen the right man for the job, even if he was a little wet behind the ears.”

“A little?”

Olivia chuckled, and he joined her.

“I see you found my CD collection,” she said a few minutes later, finally paying attention to the soft instrumental music in the background.

James gently tugged her arms away from him, then turned to face her, drawing her close once again. “I did. And I was pleased to see your taste in music hadn’t changed. If anything, I think it improved.”

Olivia rolled her eyes, then laid her head on his chest, wrapping her arms around him, as he began to sway them to the sultry tones of the saxophone.

Twin sighs of contentment echoed in the room.

One song faded into another, as they continued to gently rock to the music, their bodies barely moving.

James kissed the top of her head, smiling when he felt her respond with a kiss to his chest through his shirt. He slid his hand up her back to cup the back of her head, threading his fingers in her hair, then tugged gently until she was looking up at him.

He lowered his head until his lips were just a hairsbreadth away from hers. “I love you,” he whispered, then covered her mouth with his.

“I love you, too,” she replied when the kiss ended, then pushed up on her toes to kiss him again.

Soft, nibbling kisses, and long, slow, deep kisses were exchanged as their bodies continued to sway to the music. Their arousal growing with every increased beat of their hearts, and the growing rapidity of their breathing.

“Let’s go upstairs…” Olivia murmured in between kisses. “I want to make love with you.”

James raised his head, and met her eyes. He nodded. “I want that, too. But before we do that…” he slipped his hand into his trouser pocket, then pulled it out and opened it.

“Oh, James…” she whispered, reaching out to touch the gold band resting in the palm of his hand. “Your wedding ring.”

“Yes. I kept it with our marriage certificate,” he told her. “I know I did not wear it as often as either of us would have liked.”

“We both know why that was,” Olivia said.

James nodded. “I would like you to put it back on. And this time, it’s staying on. I’m never taking it off again.”

The significance of his words were not lost on her, and her eyes filled with tears, as she picked up the ring, then took his left hand in hers.

Their eyes held as Olivia slipped the gold band onto James’ finger, and once it was on fully, she brought his hand to her mouth, and pressed a kiss to the ring.

Lowering his hand, she entwined their fingers, and without another word, she led him upstairs.

**~*007*~**

Entering her bedroom, Olivia turned on the light, then drew James with her across to the bed. She released his hand, then leaned over to pull back the blankets before turning to face him.

James reached out to cup her cheek. “A part of me is still convinced this is just a dream,” he confessed. “And if it is, I never want to wake up.”

“Whereas I feel as though I’ve woken up from a dream,” she told him, nuzzling into his palm. “A dream I never want to have again.”

“Let’s stick to reality together then, hmm?”

“Yes.”

James smiled at her, and before he could pull her closer, she placed her hands on his chest, and pushed. He fell backwards onto the bed with a surprised grunt.

Olivia chuckled at the look on his face, then climbed on top of him, and straddled his hips. She placed her hands on the mattress, on either side of his head, and looked down at him, smiling when he stroked his hands up and down her thighs.

She could feel his cock, harder now than when they were dancing in the living room, and rocked against him, relishing the low groan that escaped him, and the clenching of his hands on her hips; her smile grew.

Lowering herself down onto her elbows, her breasts pillowing against his chest, Olivia covered his mouth with hers. She nibbled at his lips, then licked at them with her tongue before sliding it into his mouth.

They kissed deeply.

James’ hands slid from her hips to curl around the cheeks of her arse, and he thrust up beneath her; she ground down against him.

They moaned into each other’s mouths.

Olivia broke off the kiss with a gasp of his name when he slipped his hands beneath her blouse, unhooked her bra, and stroked her bare back. 

“I’ve missed touching you,” James told her, his fingers dancing down her spine, before gliding up her sides, then caressing her back again. “Feeling the softness of your skin…” He lifted his head from the bed, and nuzzled the side of her throat. “I’ve missed the scent of you…” His mouth sought hers. “And the taste of you,” he whispered before capturing her lips in a hungry kiss.

Olivia continued to rub her body against his, enjoying the friction of his cock against her sex, the feeling of his hard body beneath hers. It felt so good, so good; all the delicious sensations coursing through her body, and the familiar coiling low in her belly. She circled her hips, then whimpered into his mouth as a small orgasm took her by surprise. She stretched her legs out along his, and continued to lazily rock against him, then hummed her delight when James suddenly flipped them over, and resumed thrusting against her.

She wrapped her arms around his head, her fingers clawing at his scalp as their kisses grew more passionate, and their need for each other grew.

Both wanted to take their time; to make love to each other slowly, and savour being together again, but it had been too long.

For both of them.

“We need to get out of these clothes,” James panted against her lips, then suddenly sat up on his haunches, pulling her with him.

His fingers went immediately to the front of her blouse, as hers sought out the front of his shirt, and together, sharing hot, biting kisses, they released the buttons, then removed the garments, along with her bra; allowing them to fall heedlessly to the floor. 

They separated for a moment, and James’ gaze dropped to her slightly heaving chest, before he pulled her back into his arms, crushing her breasts against his bare chest, as their mouths met once more in a ravenous kiss.

Olivia ran her hands down the sides of his body, then slipped them between their bodies. She unsnapped his trousers, then carefully lowered the zip.

James pulled his mouth from hers, and leaned his forehead against hers, moaning her name when she reached inside his trousers to cup him through his boxers, tracing the length and shape of him through the silk.

He thrust into her hand for only a moment, then grabbed hold of her wrist, and pulled her hand free, then scrambled off the bed.

Olivia watched as James quickly removed his socks (he’d removed his shoes earlier in the evening), then much to her delight, he shimmied out of his trousers and boxers at the same time, and stood before her stark naked; his cock hard, and leaking against his belly.

She drank in the sight of him, and felt her arousal grow. A surprised giggle escaped her when he suddenly grabbed her legs, and tugged her to the edge of the bed.

“Your turn,” James said with a grin, as he quickly unbuttoned, and unzipped her trousers, then began to tug them off. “Help me here, woman!”

Olivia laughed, and lifted her hips from the mattress so James could remove her trousers and knickers.

Second later, she was as naked as him.

Olivia watched James rake his eyes over her, and could not help smiling when his gaze lingered on her breasts for several moments, and she saw his tongue dart out to lick his lips, before he lowered his eyes to take in the rest of her.

“James…” she said softly, and held her hand out to him.

He raised his eyes to hers, smiled, then placed his hand in hers, and allowed her to tug him closer so that he was standing between her legs. He reached up with his free hand, and brushed the backs of his fingers over the peaked nipple of her left breast.

He lifted his hand to cup her cheek. “My beautiful wife,” he uttered the words in a quiet, reverent voice, letting go of her hand to grasp her face in his hands, then lowered his head to kiss her.

They kissed slowly, deeply… tongues curling around each other for long moments.

Olivia eased her lips from his, then shuffled back so that she was lying in the middle of the bed, then beckoned him to her with a crook of her finger, and a smile. James grinned, and crawled up onto the bed after her, and settled his body on top of hers.

They moaned at the contact, and their mouths met again as James began to rock against her.

“Olivia…” he murmured, nibbling on her bottom lip. “Do you have any lube?”

She pulled back out of the kiss with a frown. “No. I’ve not had any use for it the last eleven months. Did you bring any with you?”

James shook his head. “I did not come here tonight with the intention of making love to you,” he told her. “My desire, since leaving here last night, was to just get back to you, and to get you back.”

“I know,” Olivia replied softly.

“I had hoped to hold you, to maybe even sleep with you,” he admitted. “But that was it.”

Touched, Olivia lifted her head to give him a quick kiss. Lowering her head back to the pillow, she smiled up at him, her eyes twinkling brightly. “I thought we trained you to always be prepared, 007.”

James grinned. “I am always prepared, M,” he replied, then thrust gently against her. “There is no way we are not making love tonight.”

She moaned when he thrust again. “Is that so?”

“Yes. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Trust me, there is _lots_ of will, and I know the best way to make certain you’re wet enough.”

“And what’s that?”

James simply smiled, then ducked his head to kiss her hungrily for several moments, leaving her gasping for breath when he pulled his mouth from hers. “Do you remember the first time we made love?” he asked her, as he shifted his body lower, and nuzzled the underside of her breasts.

“Yes…” Olivia replied, arching beneath him with a hum of approval when he took her nipple into his mouth, and sucked firmly, then did the same with the other nipple, before resuming his glide down her body; raining hot, open-mouthed kisses over her stomach until he was lying between her thighs.

Olivia inhaled sharply when she felt his fingers part the lips of her sex.

She heard him growl low in his throat, and seconds later his mouth was on her; his tongue delving inside her, before he licked his way up to her clit, and closed his lips around the sensitive bundle of nerves.

She gasped, and pushed her head back into the pillows as he concentrated all his attention on her clit; nibbling, suckling, licking, and it wasn’t long before he had her writhing on the bed, teetering on the edge of orgasm.

“Mmm…” Olivia moaned, as he slowly slid a thick finger inside her, then another, curling them to rub in just the right spot. “Oh god…” 

She came, her back arching, her hands clenching in the sheets.

James continued to lick and suck her clit, holding his fingers still inside her, giving her something to clench around, as he pushed her into a second release moments later.

Olivia came with a sharp cry of his name, and felt him smile against her.

She was breathless, her body still trembling, when he stretched out over her once again, his hips nestled between her thighs, and gazed down at her with a tender smile on his face.

“Mmm…” she hummed, lifting her hand to trace her fingers over his wet lips, and chin, then curled her hand around the back of his head, and tugged him closer. Her tongue darted over his chin, then his lips before kissing him deeply with a low moan.

As they kissed, Olivia slipped her hand between their bodies, wrapped her fingers around his prick, and lightly stroked him. James groaned out of the kiss, and reached between them to cover her hand with his.

“Okay?” he asked her quietly, as they stroked the head of his cock up and down her pussy, coating him in her cream.

“Yes,” she replied, drawing her legs up on either side of him.

Together, they moved him into position, and then, their eyes locked on each other, James slowly began to press inside her.

Olivia’s breath hitched once the head of his cock was inside her, and James stopped. “No… don’t stop!”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You’re not,” she assured him with a smile, as she laid her hand on his hip. “I want this, James. I want you.”

James lowered his head, and kissed her. “Slowly, then…” he whispered against her lips, his eyes still holding hers as he resumed sliding into her.

“Ooh… oh yes… James…” Olivia moaned when he bottomed out, and her fingers clenched on his hip when he held still, giving her body a chance to adjust to him. It had been almost a year since she’d felt him inside her; stretching her, filling her… and it felt, “So good, James.”

“Yes…” he agreed, resting his forehead against hers.

They shared several light kisses, and James began to gently rock into her.

“I love you so much…” The words were whispered in a breath against her lips.

Olivia’s hand moved from his hip to his arse, her other hand cradling the side of James’ face as he raised his head to meet her eyes; he moved, slowly and steadily inside her, their bodies quickly falling into a familiar rhythm, as if no time had passed since the last time they’d been together.

Without breaking eye contact, James brought her to the edge of orgasm, again and again, until she pleaded with him to let her come… to let them come. He brushed his lips over hers, and reached between them to rub her clit, as he began to thrust harder, and faster.

She came with a long keen of delight, wrapping her arms and legs around him, as her body writhed under his, as the rapturous sensations pulsed through her. Seconds later, his body tensed, and then he thrust into her a handful of times more before he cried out her name as he came.

James sank into her embrace, and Olivia held him close as they continued to tremble and shudder with the intensity of their orgasms.


	10. Chapter 10

James glanced at Olivia as she shifted in her seat.

“Are you all right?”

“Just a little sore,” she admitted, then reached out to pat his thigh. “I’m all right, James. It’s just been a while.”

“We’re definitely stopping to pick up some lube,” he told her, before returning his attention to the road.

Olivia laughed softly.

“I’m serious,” he said. “I was selfish last night; I should have waited.” He shook his head, angry at himself. He knew better. He had the first time they’d made love, and he’d known it last night. “I hurt you.”

“You didn’t hurt me,” Olivia replied. “I’m just a little tender, that’s all. As I said, it’s been a while. You were very gentle, and the minor discomfort I’m feeling now is a small price to pay for making love with you after so many months.” She patted his thigh again. “The bath helped.”

“You’re not just saying that to placate me?”

“When have you ever known me to do that?”

“Never,” he answered, then glanced at her again to see her looking pointedly at him. “All right, you win.”

Olivia chuckled, and James shook his head fondly.

He’d missed this with her.

Missed bantering, and matching wits with her.

They fell silent, enjoying the scenery as they sped down the highway.

“But we are definitely buying a large supply of lube,” she said a short time later.

James laughed.

**~*007*~**

“It looks so different; so empty.”

“Yes it does.”

They stared across the water at the now empty spot on the riverbank where the SIS building used to stand.

“And you _just_ made it out in time?”

“Yes.”

Olivia shuddered, and leaned her head against his arm as she squeezed his fingers. “I am very glad of that.”

“So am I.”

She smiled at his dryly uttered response, then turned and looked up at the building behind them.

“And this is the new home of the SIS?”

“Yep.”

“Christ, what a monstrosity.”

“Yep.”

Olivia wrinkled her nose in disgust.

“In the fallout from Max Denbigh’s involvement with Spectre, the PM decided to rescind the merger of MI6 with MI5, and reinstated Mallory to his position as M. He also gave them this building as the new SIS headquarters,” James told her.

“I liked my building better.”

“So did I.”

Olivia shook her head again.

“Come on,” James took her hand in his again. “Let’s go see your nephew.”

“You’re just not going to let that go, are you?”

“Nope,” he replied with a smirk. He’d been teasing her about it all morning.

Olivia rolled her eyes.

**~*007*~**

Olivia watched the numbers on the display change with each floor they passed as the lift ascended, and felt an unfamiliar sensation in the pit of her stomach.

“You’re nervous.”

“As much as I hate to admit it, yes. I am a little.”

“Don’t be. You know these people. It’s Tanner, Moneypenny, and your nephew.”

Olivia closed her eyes, groaning softly, then glared at up him. He merely smiled in return, and she shook her head, her attention returning to the front of the lift.

When the lift began to slow, she loosened her grip on his hand, and moved to step away from him, but he stopped her, his hand holding tightly to hers.

“They know we’re married, Olivia.”

She looked up at him again, and smiled. “Habit.”

“I know,” he replied, with a tender look, then squeezed her fingers reassuringly as the lift stopped.

When the doors opened, they stepped off the lift, and made their way down the hall.

Hand in hand.

“Did you ring ahead to tell them we were coming?” Olivia asked him, as they reached the door to the outer office.

“Yes. Before I joined you in the bath this morning,” he replied, then opened the door.

They were greeted with bright smiles from both Tanner and Moneypenny. Both rose from their seats, and hurried over to them as they entered the office.

Much to Olivia’s surprise, Bill enveloped her in a hug, which she returned without hesitation.

“It’s so good to see you, M…” he said as he released her, then quickly corrected himself, his cheeks pinking slightly at his slip. “I mean, Ma’am.”

Olivia chuckled. “How about just calling me Olivia,” she told her former Chief of Staff. “I am no longer your boss, Bill.”

“I’ll try.”

Olivia nodded, then smiled at Moneypenny. “It’s good to see you as well, Eve.”

“Likewise, Ma’am.” Eve replied with a smile of her own, then gestured to the door leading to Mallory’s office. “He’s waiting for you.”

“Thank you,” Olivia replied, then looked back at James, as he moved to stand beside her. “Shall we?”

He nodded. “Let’s not keep your nephew waiting.”

“Honestly, James,” Olivia said in a long-suffering tone. “Enough.”

He chuckled, then placed his hand against the small of her back. “All right. No more, I promise.”

“Thank you.”

James stroked his thumb against her back as he guided through the door that Tanner had opened, and into Mallory’s office.

As they entered, Mallory stood, and walked around to stand in front of his desk, his hands in his pockets. “Olivia, Bond,” he greeted them with a smile.

Without saying a word, Olivia walked over to Gareth, and punched him on the arm.

“What was that for?” Mallory asked, rubbing his arm.

“You know damn well what that’s for!” Olivia punched him in the arm again.

“Aunt Olivia!”

“Don’t Aunt Olivia me! You’re damned lucky I don’t punch you in the face, and break your bloody nose! How many times, Gareth?! How many bloody times did I ask you to tell me what you knew about me?”

Mallory opened his mouth to answer, but she continued talking over him.

“Each time you put me off. You should have told me what you knew.”

“Yes, I should have.”

“The only thing stopping me from breaking your nose is that I truly believe you were following the doctor’s advice, and acting out of concern for me!”

“I was.”

“I’m also aware that you had no knowledge of my marriage to James.” Olivia glanced back at James, before meeting Mallory’s eyes once again. “However, that does not negate the fact that James and I lost a year together, Gareth.”

“I know,” Gareth replied. “And I am sorry about that. James was right, I should have told him you were alive. Seeing him, or even Tanner for that matter, might have sparked your memory.”

“Perhaps.”

“I should have trusted my instincts, and told him. I am truly very sorry now that I didn’t,” he told her.

Olivia sighed, and nodded. “What’s done is done; we can’t go back and change it now,” she said, lacing her fingers with James’ as he moved to her side. “My memory has returned, and James and I are together again. That’s all that matters.”

“I am glad of that,” Mallory said sincerely, then moved around to stand behind his desk. “So what was it you wanted to see me about?” 

“I’d like you to give me _my_ identity back.”

“I had a feeling that was the reason,” he remarked, then looked at Bond. “Will you still be returning to the Double-0 section?”

“No.” James shook his head. “Not anymore. I’ve already lost too much time with Olivia. I don’t want to lose anymore.”

Mallory nodded in understanding. “Would you consider taking a position as an instructor?”

James’ eyebrows rose up in surprise.

“You’re due for mandatory retirement in six months,” Mallory pointed out. “Sadly, there is nothing I can do about that. However, I would hate to lose you outright, and your experience as a Double-0 would be invaluable to new agents. There is also the advantage of no longer being placed in potentially dangerous situations.”

An instructor?

James tossed the idea around in his head. Could he do it?

He’d never really given any thought to what he would do after he was finished being a Double-0 until he and Olivia had married, as he had honestly thought he wouldn’t last that long, and then they had talked about retiring together.

When she’d died in his arms at Skyfall, their dreams had died with her.

But now…

James glanced down at Olivia when he felt her thumb brush over his wedding band.

“Think it over, 007. Discuss it with Olivia,” Mallory told him.

Olivia smiled at him, and nodded gently. They would talk it over.

“Thank you, sir,” James replied. “I’ll let you know.”

**~*007*~**

“I think you should take the job,” Olivia told him as they exited the lift.

James stopped just in front of the doors as they closed behind him. “You do?”

She turned to face him, and nodded. “I know what we talked about before; about retiring together in the Bahamas, but we both know you’d have been bored stupid within a month.”

James shook his head. 

“Yes,” Olivia countered. “James, you told me last night, that before you found me the restaurant you were planning to go back to Six because you were bored.”

“That’s because I wasn’t with you,” he replied quietly. “I could never be bored with you.”

Olivia smiled. “You say that now,” she said. “But I know you, James. You need to be doing something.”

A naughty smile teased his lips, as his eyes twinkled at her.

“And not just that!” she retorted, her cheeks pinking slightly, as he chuckled. She shook her head fondly. “Be serious, James.”

“Sorry,” he apologized with a slightly sheepish look on his face.

Olivia smiled, and then her expression grew serious. “What do you want to do, James?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” James replied. “Before we became involved, I never gave it much thought. Life expectancy of a Double-0 being what it is, I never thought I’d live long enough to have to figure it out.” He paused, and reached out to cradle her cheek. “All I know is that I want a life with you.”

“And you’ll have that, whether you’re an instructor or a beach bum,” Olivia told him.

James smiled, then leaned in to give her a quick kiss. 

“This could be a good thing, James. But in the end, it’s your decision.”

“No.” He shook his head. “It’s ours, and something we need to discuss, as a couple.”

“You’re right.” Olivia nodded. 

“And I think we should so over lunch,” James told her, offering her his arm.

“Good idea,” she said, and slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow, as he led her across the lobby.

“For the record,” Olivia told him as they left MI6. “I am not against the two of us making love for hours on end in the warm sunshine of the Bahamas.”

James laughed.

“James.”

He stopped, his body tensing, then slowly turned at the softly accented voice.

“Hello, Madeleine.”


	11. Chapter 11

“James.”

Olivia felt James tense at the call of his name, and released his arm as he turned. She turned with him, and followed his gaze to see a young, svelte blonde walking toward them.

“Hello, Madeleine,” James said. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m on my way to see M.”

“About what?”

“I was planning to ask him to get a message to you for me,” Madeleine answered him. “But it looks now that won’t be necessary.”

“What’s the message?”

“I’ve checked out of the hotel,” she told him. “I’ve decided to return to Austria; to the clinic.”

“I wish you the best of luck, then,” James told her sincerely.

“Thank you,” Madeleine replied, then smiled a smile that did not quite meet her eyes. “And, I hope you and your wife will be very happy.”

Olivia tore her gaze away from the young woman in front of her to look up at James as he turned to her. He reached out to take her hand, and laced their fingers together. He smiled at her as he answered Madeleine, “We will be.”

“This is your wife?”

Olivia watched James’ eyes grow hard at the incredulous tone they heard in the other woman’s voice. He blinked, quickly masking his ire as he looked back at Madeleine.

“Yes,” James answered. “Olivia, Doctor Madeleine Swann,” he introduced her. “Madeleine, this is my wife, Olivia.”

“Pleased to meet you, Doctor Swann,” Olivia said with a smile.

“Likewise, Mrs. Bond,” Madeleine replied.

Her face and voice were devoid of emotion, but Olivia could see the thinly veiled anger and contempt in the younger woman’s eyes.

“Thank you for telling me you’ve checked out. I’ll be sure to ring the hotel to settle up the bill,” James told her. “Now if you’ll excuse us, Olivia and I were just on our way to have lunch.”

“Of course.”

“Good-bye, Madeleine.”

“Au revoir, James,” she responded softly.

Olivia felt James gently squeeze her fingers, and then they walked away. She did not need to look back to know Madeleine was watching them. She could feel the heat of the other woman’s gaze on her back.

Olivia could not fault the woman for her anger.

She’d fallen in love with James.

Olivia had seen the look in Madeleine’s eyes when she’d approached them; had seen the longing and the hope as she looked at James, only to have them crushed upon learning that Olivia was James’ wife.

She almost felt sorry for the other woman, but a quick glance back over her shoulder squashed that feeling almost immediately.

If looks could kill…

**~*007*~**

“You’ve been awfully quiet.”

James regarded his wife as they entered his flat.

He placed the take away bags on the counter, and watched her as she crossed the living room to stand before the window.

“She’s very beautiful.”

The words were uttered softly, almost a whisper, but James heard them.

He was across the room in an instant, standing directly behind her.

“I suppose she is, yes,” James agreed. “But so are you.” He rubbed his hands lightly up and down her arms, then settled his hands lightly on her shoulders. “And that’s not what’s bothering you.”

James knew Olivia had no hang ups about her body. She was a strong, confident woman; sure of herself and how she looked.

“What is it?”

Olivia shook her head.

He gently turned her around to face him.

“Olivia.”

She sighed. “It’s foolish, James, and I know it’s only because we ran into her, but I suddenly began to wonder what would have happened if you hadn’t followed me home from the restaurant. With the amnesia, I would never have known any different, and you could have gone back to Miss Swann, and started a new life.”

“No. I couldn’t have.” James shook his head. He reached down to take her left hand in his, and raised it to his lips, kissing her wedding band. “One half of me is yours, the other half yours - Mine own, I would say. But if mine, then yours, And so all yours.” He placed her hand on his chest, over his heart, and held it firmly against him. “I love you, Olivia. I think I fell in love with you the moment we met.”

Olivia smiled, and rubbed her hand against his chest. “I know. I love you, too,” she replied. “I told you it was foolish.”

“No, it wasn’t foolish. Understandable, really, given everything that’s happened in the last two days.”

“I suppose.”

“Is there anything else bothering you?”

“No.”

“Are you sure? You have that look in your eyes that you used to get right before some of my assignments.”

“I hate that you can read me so well,” she told him, looking at him with fond exasperation.

James chuckled softly.

“I’m sure it’s nothing,” she continued. “Just a strange feeling in my gut.”

He regarded her thoughtfully. He’d always trusted her instincts when she was M, and he saw no reason to disregard them now, and told her so.

“Thank you,” Olivia said, then rose up on her toes to kiss him lightly on the lips.

Unable to resist, James slipped his arms around her, drew her closer, and deepened the kiss, eliciting a deep moan from her as she responded.

“I’m hungry,” she whispered against his lips.

His mouth curled into a smirk under hers.

“For food, James!” Olivia slapped his chest.

“Do I get dessert?”

“If you’re good.”

James’ hands slipped down to cup her arse. “I’m always good.”

**~*007*~**

“Mmm… you are very good,” Olivia murmured with a contented sigh, her body draped over James’ like a limp blanket.

Beneath her, on the sofa, James laughed, as he stroked her damp, bare back. “Told you.”

Olivia giggled, and kissed his chest. “I’m glad you found that lube.”

“So am I,” James replied.

She hummed and snuggled closer. 

“When should we talk to Mallory?” James asked her a few moments later.

“The sooner, the better,” she responded.

“Do you think he’ll go for it?”

“Yes, I do. Gareth’s a smart man. He’ll see this is a reasonable request.”

“Then why don’t we head back to Six, and tell him?”

Olivia lifted her head from his chest. “Now?”

“Well, not at this very moment,” he replied, trailing his fingers down her spine. “I’m not entirely certain I can move just yet.”

She laughed. “I’m not sure I can either.”

James chuckled. “But I think we should do it today.”

“I think we should, too.” She nodded, then laid her head back on his chest.

“If Mallory agrees to this, where do you want to live?” James asked. “Here or your place?” 

“Here would make more sense,” Olivia said. “It is closer to Six than my house.”

“That’s true,” he agreed. “So your house it is, then.”

She lifted her head again, a protest on her lips, which he stalled with a finger pressed to her lips.

“Your house is more of a home than this place,” James told her. “Look around, Olivia. I’ve been living here for months, and it looks like I’ve just moved in. Outside of Eve stopping by one evening to drop off what few personal items that survived Skyfall, no one has even set foot in this place. For all the time I’ve spent here, I would have been better off living in a hotel.” He paused. “Whereas in the ten months you’ve been living in your house, you’ve made it your home. So your house is the logical choice.”

“You’re serious?”

“Yes, I am.” He nodded. “Most of my things are still in storage from when you sold my other flat when I was being a prat and pouting in Turkey.”

Olivia’s brow furrowed at the memory. The worst three months of her life. 

“Don’t.” James ran a comforting hand along her side. “It’s in the past.”

“Yes it is,” she agreed. And it was; the agony of those months nothing more than a dull ache now.

“So, as long as it’s actually your house, and not one owned by Six, I say we live there,” James said.

Olivia regarded him for several moments. He was right. It made sense.

“We were going to sell both our places when we retired, and move to the Bahamas anyway,” James pointed out. “And if turns out that Mallory isn’t agreeable to our proposition, we can still sell both our places, and do as we’d originally planned.”

She nodded. It was the perfect solution. “I like that.”

James smiled. “So do I,” he replied, and she moaned softly when he brushed his thumb against the side of her breast, before gliding his hands down her sides to grasp her hips. “Shall we seal the deal,” he intoned suggestively, then frowned when a phone began to ring.

Olivia sighed. “That’s my mobile.”

James rolled over, pressing her against the back of the sofa, and kissed her quickly, before he moved away, then got up off the sofa.

“It’s probably Connie.” Olivia sat up, grabbing James’ shirt from the coffee table as she went, and slipped it on, not bothering to button it up, as she watched James walk naked over to the chair where she’d dropped her handbag earlier.

James glanced at the phone in his hand, as he crossed back over to her, and nodded. “It’s Connie,” he said, and handed her the phone.

She answered the call. “Hello, Connie.”

_“Olivia. Hi! Where are you?”_

“I’m in London. With James. We had some things we needed to take care of.”

_“Art stopped by your place; said you weren’t there. I told him you were probably with James.”_

Olivia frowned. “He what? Why?”

“What?” James asked softly.

Olivia shook her head, and held up her hand.

_“He was worried about you.”_

“That’s sweet of him, but I assure you, I am fine,” Olivia told her friend. “Connie I can’t talk right now. James and I are… No! Christ, get your mind out of the gutter.”

Beside her, James chuckled, echoing the giggles from Connie on the phone.

_“Will you be home tonight?”_

“Most likely, but not until later this evening,” Olivia replied. “I’ll ring you tomorrow. We’ll do lunch.”

_“Sounds good. Then you can tell me all about that handsome husband of yours. I bet he’s fantastic in bed.”_

Olivia glanced at James, still naked, sitting beside her, and she couldn’t resist teasing her friend. “Oh, he is.”

A peal of laughter escaped Connie on the other end, and Olivia smiled. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”

_“All right, honey. Say hello to James for me.”_

“I will. Bye.” Olivia disconnected the call, then tossed her phone onto the coffee table.

“What did Arthur do?” James asked.

She wasn’t surprised he knew. She also knew, given his comments the night before, that he was not going to like what she said next. “Connie said Arthur stopped by the house this morning.”

James scowled. “He what? Why?”

“Connie said he was worried about me.”

“Did he go inside?”

“She didn’t say.”

“But you think he did, don’t you?” 

Olivia nodded. 

“Okay, one of the first things we’re doing is changing the locks on the doors,” James told her. “And they’re not getting a key.”

“Agreed,” Olivia replied, without argument.

“I know you haven’t been yourself the last several months, but your instincts about people are usually spot on, and I can’t see that changing just because you’d lost your memory. You didn’t get a strange vibe off him?”

She sighed. “To be honest, I never felt completely comfortable around him.”

“Yet you gave him a key to your house.”

“I gave _Connie_ a key to my house,” she corrected him. “I felt someone should have one, just in case of an emergency, especially as Gareth was in London, and would only visit a few times each month.”

“That makes sense.”

“I thought so,” she said. “There’s a locksmith in town. When we get home, I’ll call and make arrangements for them to come out.”

“Good,” he replied, then regarded her thoughtfully for a moment, then asked, “So… I am what?”

A small, sly smile came to Olivia’s lips. “Connie asked if you were good in bed. I told her you were.”

James grinned. He reached for her hand, then stood and drew her to her feet as well, then began to lead her out of the living room. “I’m also very good in the shower.”

Olivia snagged the small tube of lube from the coffee table as she followed him, her eyes locked on his bare arse. “Mmm… yes you are.”


	12. Chapter 12

“I told you he’d go for it.”

James snorted at Olivia’s comment, then hugged her closer, as they strolled along the pavement. “Yes you did.”

“Gareth’s a smart man. He knows he’d be a fool to lose an agent of your calibre and experience,” she remarked, then glanced back over her shoulder.

“What is it?” he asked.

“I feel like we’re being watched.”

James stopped. He removed his arm from about her shoulders, then turned around, taking in their surroundings with a practiced eye.

Not seeing anything, or anyone suspicious, he took a step back in the direction they’d come, but Olivia’s hand on his arm stopped him.

“James, don’t.”

“Olivia, this is the second time you’ve had this feeling in your gut,” he told her. “I trust your instincts as much as I trust my own.”

“It’s probably just my imagination running wild,” she said. “A result of my memory returning, so all my senses are on overdrive.”

James shook his head. He did not believe that was the case. Something was up, and he promised himself to stay on alert.

He’d just got her back. He wasn’t going to lose her again.

“Really, James. Just let it go. It’s probably nothing.”

James nodded, then cupped the side of her face. “All right,” he said, then ducked his head to kiss her.

Olivia hummed softly against his lips.

“I like being able to kiss you out in the open like this,” he told her with a smile, then kissed her again.

“It is nice,” she agreed, smiling back a him.

They shared a third, and final kiss, then resumed walking; her arm around his waist, his about her shoulders.

“So what would you like to do now?” he asked. “It’s a little too early for dinner.”

Olivia glanced around at all of the decorations on the buildings, then looked up at him. “I’d like to buy a Christmas tree.”

“Really?”

“Yes. I was planning to do so anyway, as this is my first Christmas in the house. Now it’s ours.”

James smiled. He hadn’t had a proper Christmas since he was a young boy. Even the three Christmases since he and Olivia had been married had been a bust, as he’d been on assignment for each of them.

“I think I’d like that,” he told her. “Real or artificial?”

“Real,” she answered. “Mind you, we’ll also need to buy all the lights and decorations.”

“Then what are we waiting for? Let’s go,” James exclaimed, eliciting a surprised chuckle from Olivia, and altered their course, turning them in the direction of the car park.

As they turned, Olivia glanced over her shoulder again.

She could feel eyes on her.

**~*007*~**

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

James looked up as Olivia wandered into the living room, still talking on the phone. They had been putting the finishing touches on their tree when Olivia remembered she needed to call Connie.

He watched her face light up as she looked at the tree, then beamed at him before returning her gaze to the tree; completely decorated except for the topper.

“I need to go, Connie. James is waiting for me so we can put the star on the tree,” she said into the phone. She laughed. “Of course not.” She paused, her eyes drifting back to his, and she gave him a heated look. “Because we don’t need mistletoe.”

James grinned.

Olivia laughed again, then shook her head. “Good-bye, Connie,” she told her friend. “Yes. Eleven thirty.”

She hung up the phone, then returned the handset to the cradle. “She’s got a filthy mind.”

“I knew there was a reason I liked her,” he quipped.

Olivia shook her head in amusement, as she crossed the room to join him in front of the tree.

“Would you like to do the honours?” he asked, holding out the star.

She nodded, and took the ornate decoration from him. With his hands lightly holding her hips to help keep her steady, she ascended the small step stool he’d placed beside the tree, and stretched out to place the star on the uppermost branch. “Is it straight?”

“Yes,” James replied.

When she was satisfied it was on securely, she climbed down off the stool, then stepped back to admire the now fully decorated tree.

“It looks good,” Olivia said.

“Yes it does, but hold on a moment,” James replied, as he grabbed the step stool. He closed it, then put it away before turning off the living room light. He walked back over to her, and wrapped his arms around her from behind. “There.”

“Much better,” she remarked, crossing her arms over his. She leaned her head back against his shoulder, and tilted her head to look up at him. “Not bad for our first tree.”

James chuckled. “Not bad at all.”

They stood quietly in each other’s arms, watching the lights twinkle for several moments, before James began to gently sway them to the soft Christmas music playing in the background.

“So, after your comment to Connie on the phone, I assume this isn’t really necessary, even though it is tradition?” he asked, pulling a sprig of mistletoe from his pocket, and holding it over her head.

Olivia laughed, then carefully turned in his arms, and slid her hands up his chest to lace her fingers at the back of his head. “Who am I to fly in the face of tradition,” she murmured, and tugged his head down to hers, her mouth covering his in a hungrier kiss than he expected.

Dropping the mistletoe, James pulled her more firmly against him, and kissed her back. His cock began to swell, and he felt her smile into the kiss. She never failed to have this effect on him, and she knew it.

Still kissing, James slowly waltzed them over to the sofa. He eased his lips from hers, then sat down, guiding her so that she was standing between his legs. He ran his hands up her sides, then lightly over her breasts, as he reached for the uppermost button on her blouse.

“All right?” he asked in a quiet voice.

“Yes,” she replied, and he saw the desire stir in her blue eyes. “Do you…”

Before she could finish her question, James reached into his trouser pocket, and withdrew one of the small tubes of lube they’d purchased earlier. He placed it on the end table, then reached up, and began unbuttoning her blouse.

“Take your bra off,” he instructed her, once all the buttons had been released, and the blouse was hanging open.

Olivia smiled knowingly, and reached back up under her blouse, and unhooked her bra, then quickly removed the garment; tossing it onto the sofa.

James lifted his hands to her breasts, holding their weight in his hands as he thumbed her nipples into tight buds, then leaned forward and took the right one into his mouth. Olivia moaned, and he sucked harder, gently biting her nipple, as he continued to fondle her other breast. Only after suckling at both breasts, did he release her, and straighten up; his hands dropping to the button on her trousers.

He unbuttoned her trousers, lowered the zipper, then pushed her slacks, along with her knickers, off her hips, and down her legs, then helped her to step out of them, leaving her in just her blouse and her black stockings and suspenders.

James swallowed hard.

The twinkling lights of the Christmas tree behind her, gave Olivia an ethereal glow, and he felt his prick grow even harder within the confines of his trousers.

“You are so beautiful,” he whispered, and smiled when a flush crept up her chest and neck to heat her cheeks.

James reached for the tube of lube, uncapped it, and squirted a generous amount onto the fingers of his right hand. Snapping the cap back into place, he tossed the tube back onto the end table, then reached for Olivia. With his left hand on her hip, he urged her a little closer.

Olivia placed a hand on his shoulder, and widened her stance slightly as James reached between her thighs. She moaned when he slowly worked two fingers inside her pussy, and began to move them in and out; slicking the cool gel inside her; stretching her, preparing her, as she made soft, inarticulate sounds of pleasure that shot straight to his groin.

He grinned when her grip tightened on his shoulder, as his thumb began to ride her clit. He continued stroking his fingers inside her, his thumb rubbing more firmly until her inner muscles suddenly clenched around his fingers, and she came with a whimper.

James smiled. He loved watching Olivia come.

Stilling his fingers inside her, James gentled the pressure of his thumb on her clit, as he fumbled with the snap on his trousers. As soon as it released, he quickly but carefully, lowered the zipper, and freed his extremely hard prick.

He eased his fingers out of her, then grasped her hips. He pushed her back slightly, closed his legs, then drew her onto his lap. 

Olivia knelt on the sofa, straddling him, and held onto his shoulders, as James took hold of his cock, and grasped her hip with his other hand.

Their eyes locked.

Slowly, Olivia lowered herself down, until the full length of his cock was buried deep inside her pussy.

Twin moans of pleasure drowned out the soft music playing in the background as Olivia, at James’ urging, began to ride him.

She moved leisurely at first, rocking gently and circling her hips against him, then faster as the sensations grew. With his hands guiding her movements, she began to slide his cock in and out of her sex as she rode him with more purpose.

“Olivia!” James grunted moments later, his fingers digging into her hips, holding her hard against him as he came, spilling his seed deep inside her.

Olivia resumed rocking against him, grinding her clit against his pelvis until she came with a long, low moan of his name, and sank against him; humming when he wrapped his arms around her, and held her close.

“I love you…” he whispered against her ear.

They were oblivious to everything but each other, as they snuggled together, enjoying the post-coital bliss of their releases.

Neither one saw Arthur standing in the driveway, staring in through the window with an angry expression on his face, or the shadowy shape that approached him.

**~*007*~**

“What is it?” 

Olivia turned away from the bay window at James’ question, as she buttoned her blouse. She shook her head.

“You’re having that feeling again, aren’t you? Like you’re being watched?”

She sighed, and nodded.

After the euphoria of their love-making had faded away, instead of feeling relaxed and content, she’d once again had the distinct sensation of being watched. It was what had prompted her to move from the comfort of James’ embrace, and pull her slacks back on.

James frowned, then strode out of the living room, and opened the front door.

Olivia followed after him, watching from the doorway as he walked to the end of the driveway, and looked up and down the street. A few minutes later, he returned, and ushered her quietly into the house.

“I did not see anyone,” he told her, as he locked and bolted the door, then walked with her into the living room.

“It was probably - ” 

“It wasn’t nothing,” James cut her off. “This is the third time you’ve had this feeling. Twice in London, and now here.”

“You didn’t see anyone out there, and I’ve not seen anyone. All we have to go on is this strange feeling I’m having.”

His brow furrowed. “I don’t understand why you’re dismissing your instincts out of hand like this. You’ve never done so before, Olivia, why are you doing so now?”

“I don’t know,” Olivia answered honestly. “I guess after everything we’ve been through, I just don’t want to believe that anything else is going to happen.”

James nodded as he took her in his arms. “That I understand.”

Olivia wrapped her arms around him, and rubbed her cheek against his chest. “We deserve our happily ever after, James.”

He kissed the top of her head. “Yes we do.”

They held each other for several moments, then Olivia tilted her head back. “We’ll stay alert for anything, of course. I don’t think either of us will ever truly be able to turn that off, but I don’t want to live our lives constantly looking over our shoulders.”

“Neither do I.”

“Good.” Olivia smiled up at him, which he returned, then she gave him a gentle squeeze. “Now, let’s go see about dinner. I don’t know about you, but I’ve worked up an appetite.”

“Excellent idea,” he agreed. “You do need to keep your strength up.”

Olivia laughed as she led him into the kitchen. “So do you, 007, so do you.”

**~*007*~**

James awoke the sensation of his cock being engulfed in a warm, wet heat, and opened his eyes to see his wife crouched over him in the dim moonlight streaming in through the bedroom window.

“Olivia…” he groaned, when she gently bobbed her head, sliding his length in and out of her mouth, and his head fell back onto the pillow, half-convinced he was dreaming 

He raised his head again when she eased him out of her mouth, but continued to stroke him with her hands, her eyes meeting his in the near darkness.

“Several months ago I woke up after a dream of doing this,” she told him in a soft, husky voice. “Part of me was scandalized at the thought.” She licked the underside of his shaft. “A woman my age, dreaming of giving a blow job. Scandalous!” She grinned, then drew her tongue up the length of his shaft again. “The other part of me was incredibly aroused by the thought.” She swirled her tongue around the head of his cock. “I’ve been wanting to do this to you again since the first night we made love.”

James reached out to curl his hand around the curve of her arse. “Allow me to reciprocate,” he said, as he slipped his hand between her thighs, and stroked the lips of her sex.

Olivia shook her head. “Just lie back and enjoy, James.”

“Fuck…” James moaned, as she took the full length of his cock into her mouth. His head fell back against the pillow once more. “Olivia…”

**~*007*~**

Arthur stared up at the bedroom window, watching the shadows of Olivia and James’ bodies on the window shade with a dark expression on his face.


	13. Chapter 13

James placed the newly wrapped packages beneath the tree, arranging them so they were sitting just right, then checked the water level of the tree before standing. He smiled.

He couldn’t wait for Olivia to unwrap her gifts.

His smile grew, and then he began to chuckle.

He was acting like an excited little boy, and had been all week since they’d put up the tree, but given this was his first real Christmas since he was a young boy, and his first real Christmas with Olivia, he decided not to beat himself up about it.

It also helped that he knew Olivia was just as excited as he was.

Speaking of his wife, James glanced at his watch. She should be back from having lunch with Connie any time now. A fond look came to his face as he remembered their exchange that morning.

_“James?”_

_His head popped out from the closet at her call of his name. “I thought you were going to lunch with Connie?”_

_“I am. She just called. Arthur’s taken the car, so she can’t pick me up, so I was wondering if you can you drive me into town?”_

_“I can do that,” he said. “Or you can take the car if you want, that way I can finish wrapping your Christmas presents.”_

_Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. “You’d let me take the Aston?”_

_“Of course,” James replied, and chuckled at the shock on her face._

_“Are you sure? I know how much you love that car, James.”_

_He smiled, stepped out of the closet and walked over his dresser, and grabbed the keys. He held them out to her. “I do. But you’re my wife; I love you more. I trust you with my car.”_

_A brilliant smile spread across her face, as she took the keys from his outstretched hand. She moved closer, and placing her hands on his chest, she rose up on her toes, and kissed him._

_“Thank you,” she murmured, then kissed him again._

_“However, if she gets one little scratch…” He lightly slapped her arse._

_Olivia giggled, then rose up to kiss him again, before stepping out of his arms, and walked away. “I’ll be very careful.”_

_“You had better, or I’ll tie you to the bed.”_

_Pausing in the bedroom doorway, and glanced back over her shoulder at him, and arched a delicate brow. “Is that a promise?”_

_“Yes.”_

_Olivia laughed._

James chuckled, then turned toward the window when he heard a car pulling into the driveway.

He frowned.

That wasn’t the Aston Martin.

James stepped closer to the window, and watched as Connie emerged from the strange car. He hurried to the front door, and opened it just as she reached the stoop.

“You’re here!” she exclaimed, her eye wide with surprise.

“Of course I’m here,” he replied then asked, “Where’s Olivia?”

“She’s not here?”

“What?”

“Olivia. Is she here?”

“What do you mean is she here? She’s supposed to be with you!”

“Oh god…” Connie whispered.

Warning bells went off in his head, and James forced himself to stay calm. “Tell me what happened.”

“We were having lunch. I excused myself to go to the loo, and when I returned to the table, she was gone,” she told him. “Your car was gone, I figured she’d come back here. Considering your line of work, I thought there was an emergency of some sort, which is why she didn’t tell me she was leaving.”

“Have you tried ringing her mobile?”

“Yes. There was no answer.”

“Did you ask if anyone had seen anything?”

Connie shook her head. “No. I didn’t think of it. I told you. I just thought she’d come home.”

So much for staying vigilant, he chastised himself with a frown. They’d relaxed their guard, and now his wife was missing.

But how?

And who had taken her?

A name popped into his head, but he dismissed it; not wanting to believe he would actually do it, but he couldn’t shake the thought.

“I know what you’re thinking.” Connie’s voice broke into his thoughts, and he looked at her to find her looking back at him with tears in her eyes. “And I think you might be right.”

“Your brother took her.” It was part question, part statement.

“Yes,” she muttered. “Arthur’s been smitten with Olivia from the moment he met her.”

James nodded. He really couldn’t blame the man; the same thing had happened to him all those years ago.

“I had hoped, when he started talking about this woman he’d met, that he was over his fascination with Olivia,” Connie told him.

“What woman?”

“Just someone he met earlier this week. A young, French woman.”

A bad feeling settled in the pit of his stomach. “Describe her,” he said quietly.

“Blonde, mid-thirties, French,” she said with a shrug. “Pretty enough, I guess.”

“Madeleine.” James shook his head, then swore. “Fuck!”

“Madeleine? Isn’t that…?”

James sighed, and nodded. “Yes. She’s the woman I was with when I believed Olivia was dead. She was also the one I was with when I found out Olivia was still alive.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I didn’t think she was capable of doing something like this.”

“You said my car was gone?” he asked a moment later.

“Yes. That’s why I assumed Olivia had come back here.”

James turned, and hurried back into the living room. He grabbed his phone off the coffee table, and quickly punched in a number. “Q! Bond. I need your help.”

_“Oh, hello to you, too, 007.”_ Q replied dryly.

“Dammit, Q, I don’t have time for games. M’s missing.

_“What!? He is?!”_

James huffed in frustration. “Not that M. My M.”

_“Your… Oh!”_ Surprise coloured Q’s voice. _“She is?”_

“Yes. I think she’s been kidnapped. She was in my car.”

_“The DB5?”_

“Yes. I need you to try and find it.”

_“How?”_

“I don’t know. Hack the traffic cameras, hack a global satellite, I don’t care! Just see if you can find the car anywhere in the vicinity of Esher. There can’t be too many vintage Aston Martins in the area.”

_“All right. Let me see what I can do.”_

“Thank you, Q,” James said softly. “While you do that, can you transfer me to M? If you find anything, call up there.”

_“Okay. Hold on.”_

The line went silent, and James found himself fiddling with his wedding ring as he waited for Mallory to pick up the phone.

_“Bond? What happened? Q said there was a situation involving Olivia?”_

“I don’t know for sure yet, but I believe Madeleine kidnapped her,” James told him, deciding not to mention that Arthur may be involved just yet. “She was having lunch with Connie, and when Connie returned from the toilet, Olivia was gone.”

_“I was under the impression Madeleine had returned to Austria.”_

“So was I.”

_“So you don’t know for certain it’s her?”_

“No, just a feeling.”

_“Shit.”_

Bond nodded his agreement with Mallory’s sentiment, even though the other man couldn’t see him. “I’ve asked Q to see if he can find my car in the area. Olivia was driving it.”

_“You let her take your car?”_

James could not help smiling at the surprise in Mallory’s voice. “Yes, I did. Given its rarity, it shouldn’t be too difficult for Q to find.”

_“That makes sense. Do you want me to send a team in to help you find her?”_

“No. An armed team might spook him.”

_“Him? I thought you said you thought Madeleine had her.”_

Shit! James swore internally at his slip. He sighed. “I think Arthur may have be involved as well.”

_“What? Arthur? Arthur Woodeson? You’re joking.”_

“I wish I was.”

_“I did a thorough background check on him, 007. Him and his sister, when Olivia first told me she’d befriended them. There was nothing to indicate he would ever behave in such a fashion.”_

“I suspect Madeleine coerced him somehow, or tricked him into it using his infatuation with Olivia to get inside his head,” James told him.

_“I suppose that’s possible,”_ Mallory replied. _“Hold on a moment, 007, Q’s got something. I’m going to put us in a conference call.”_ There was a pause. _“Go ahead, Q, Bond’s on the line.”_

_“I was able to hack into Esher’s traffic camera system, and I found the DB5 outside of a Chinese restaurant. I saw M and an elderly gentleman get into the car, and drive off. I tracked the car to a golf club, where they switched cars. They got into a Silver Nissan.”_

“Was there anyone in the car waiting?”

_“No. After that, they drove around, seemingly going in circles. I managed to catch the car on the traffic cams one last time driving along Hampton Court Road.”_

“Damn!” James swore, then looked at Connie. “He was last spotted on Hampton Court Road. He’s your brother, can you think of any place in that Arthur might have taken her?”

Connie shook her head.

“Are you sure? Think about it? No matter how insignificant it might seem.”

Connie bit her bottom lip.

“Well, there is the old shooting range. It closed a few years ago. It’s near the water treatment plant. He used to spend a lot of time there.”

“Q, did you hear that?”

_“I did. Checking surveillance now.”_

There was a long pause.

“Anything?”

_“Give me a moment.”_

James huffed in annoyance, and began to pace the living room.

_“I don’t see any sign of the car.”_

“Fuck!”

_“However, there are loading doors, and I do see tire tracks in the area. Though I cannot be certain if the tracks are recent.”_

_“It would be an ideal place,”_ Mallory spoke up.

“I agree,” Bond replied. “I’ll check it out, but I want you to keep searching the footage, Q. Please.”

_“Of course,”_ Q responded.

_“Are you certain you don’t want me to send backup?”_ Mallory asked.

“Yes. I’m certain,” James replied. “It will take them an hour to get here, and I am not waiting any longer to get my wife back.”

_“What if she’s not there?”_

James sighed. “That’s why I want Q to keep looking.”

_“I’m going to send you some help anyway.”_

“Sir - ” he began to protest, but Mallory interrupted him.

_“Two agents. I’ll fly them out so they’ll be there sooner. And if your suspicions are correct, and Madeleine is responsible for this, they’ll take her into custody.”_

“Fine. But I’m not waiting around for them to get here.”

_“I understand, Bond,”_ Mallory said. _“All right. I will contact local authorities, and advise them of the situation.”_

“Thank you. Please tell them not to interfere. In fact, just tell them to just stay away! I don’t them to inadvertently tip Madeleine or Arthur off.”

_“I will do that. And, James…”_

“Yes?”

_“Good luck.”_

“Thank you, sir,” James replied, then ended the call.

He turned to Connie. “What’s the fastest way to get to the shooting range?”

Connie told him, then placed a hand on his arm. “Promise me you won’t hurt Arthur. I know what he’s done is horrible, but deep down, he really is a good man. He would never truly hurt Olivia.”

“I can’t promise that. I’m sorry,” James told her. “He took my wife. But I will promise not to kill him.”

**~*007*~**

“Why are you doing this, Arthur?”

Olivia looked over at her friend’s brother. It had been twenty minutes since they’d left James’ car in the car park of the golf club, and they were now driving around the outskirts of the city. There did not seem to be any rhyme or reason to where he was going.

He did not answer, and merely continued driving.

She glared at him.

She was angry.

Angry with Arthur for kidnapping her, but even more angry with herself.

Allowing yourself to be kidnapped, Olivia, honestly! You know better than that, she admonished herself.

Her instincts, her gut, had been telling her for the last week that something bad was going to happen, she just hadn’t thought it would be this…

…or Arthur, she thought sadly.

James had told her Arthur was taken with her, but she hadn’t believed him. Arthur was a friend, nothing more; she’d never even considered him beyond that.

She’d also never thought him capable of doing something like this.

But even now, her gut was telling her there was more to this situation than just him kidnapping her.

After all, she’d had the same bad feeling in London. In fact, the first time she’d had it was in James’ flat just after they’d left MI6, and had run into…

Fuck! Olivia thought.

She did not want to believe it, but once again, her gut was telling her she was right.

Arthur had not been in London that first time, nor later that same day when she’d felt like they were being watched. So that only left Madeleine, and Olivia had seen the hateful look in the younger woman’s eyes.

But Madeleine had returned to Austria. At least she was supposed to have done so.

Now, Olivia was beginning to wonder just whose eyes she’d felt watching as she and James had made love on the sofa after decorating their tree: Arthur or Madeleine.

Either one was a disturbing thought.

Olivia shook her head.

She needed to take control of the situation.

“Arthur, it’s not too late,” Olivia told him. “Take me home. Take me home now, and I’ll make sure James doesn’t hurt you.”

“I’m not afraid of your toyboy,” he replied in a gruff voice.

“You should be. If you persist in this course of action, and make him have to hunt you down, he will kill you. It’s what he does,” she said. “And James is my husband, not my toyboy.”

Arthur glanced at her. “It will make little difference when all is said and done.”

She did not like the sound of that.

A few moments later, Arthur turned off the road, into the cark park of the old shooting range. He drove around to the far end of the building, then up the ramp to the loading dock as the large door began to rise. Once it was high enough, Arthur drove the car into the building, the door closing behind them.

“Time to get out.”

Olivia remained seated, even as Arthur removed his seatbelt, and climbed out of the Nissan.

“Come on, Olivia.”

“No,” she said simply, crossing her arms over her chest.

There was a loud tapping on her window, and she slowly turned her head.

Madeleine Swann stood just outside the door, training a gun on her. “Get out of the car, you old bitch.”

Olivia heard the gun cock.


	14. Chapter 14

“Get out of the car, you old bitch.”

The sound of the gun cocking was loud in the loading bay.

Olivia removed her seatbelt, then got out of the car. She looked at the younger woman, and effected a bored expression. “Well?”

“This way,” Madeleine gestured to the door behind her. “It’s time you and I had a little talk.”

“I can’t think of anything you and I would need to talk about,” Olivia told her, as she walked to the door Madeleine indicated. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted Arthur coming around to the car to stand behind her.

“Oh I think you do.” The blonde gave her a hard shove, pushing her into the room beyond the loading dock, laughing when Olivia stumbled. She indicated another door across the room. “Through there.” 

Olivia crossed what was obviously a small office, then walked through the door into a hallway. 

“Turn left. Far door on the right,” Madeleine ordered.

Doing as instructed, Olivia moved slowly, knowing she needed to buy time for James to find her, and she knew, with absolute certainty, that James _would_ find her. Undoubtedly by now, Connie had realized she was missing from the restaurant, and that the Aston was missing as well, and she would have contacted James.

After swearing, Olivia thought fondly, James would then contact Six. And not long after that, her husband would be out looking for her.

And he would find her.

Madeleine poked her in the middle of her back with the gun, then indicated the door. “In here.”

Olivia moved through the open door, and stepped into the main shooting gallery, Madeleine and Arthur following. In the centre of the room were two chairs, and on the floor next to the far one, a coiled length of rope.

“Please, have a seat.” Madeleine gestured to the one chair, then turned to Arthur. “Would you please tie her to the chair.”

“What? Why?” Arthur questioned her.

“I thought that was obvious. We can’t have her trying to escape,” Madeleine replied.

“You did not say anything about tying her up.” Arthur hesitated, glancing between the rope and Olivia, and she could see the uncertainty in his eyes. Perhaps, Olivia thought, she could use this to her advantage.

Madeleine swung the gun around, and pointed it at Arthur’s head. “Do it or I will shoot you. Dead you will never have the life with her you so desperately desire.”

Arthur sighed, then walked over to Olivia, and grasped her arm. He guided her over to the chair, and gestured for her to sit, then bent to pick up the rope. “I’m sorry, Olivia,” he said in a quiet voice.

“Make certain the ropes are secure, Arthur,” Madeleine said.

“Why are you doing this, Arthur?” Olivia asked him, as he looped the rope around her torso.

“She promised me that she could make you as you were before your memory came back,” he replied.

“Forgetting for a moment that she can’t possibly do that, why would you want to do that to me, Arthur? To make me live through the hell of not knowing who I am again? Can you even conceive of how horrible that was? Of having your entire life be nothing but a huge void?” Olivia turned her head to look at him, as he knelt beside her. “Do you really want to strip me of my memories? Those of my parents, my childhood, my first husband, James; of all the things I’ve experienced over the years that have made me who I am? Do you really want to take that all away from me again, when I’ve only just got it all back?”

“But we could be together, then.”

Pity filled her eyes, and Olivia shook her head sadly. “No, Arthur. We couldn’t.”

“Yes, we could. You felt something for me, I know you did.”

“Nothing beyond mere friendship, I assure you.”

Arthur shook his head. “No. I know you did. At least until _he_ came along.”

Olivia sighed. “No, Arthur, I’m sorry. But I didn’t. My heart belongs to James, even with the amnesia it belonged to him, as it was his face, the memory of him, that haunted my dreams over the last year.”

“How touching.”

Olivia turned at the sarcastically uttered comment to find Madeleine leaning against the far wall, watching them with a bored expression on her face. “Don’t worry, Arthur, I always keep my promises. You will have her when I’m through with her.”

Arthur finished knotting the rope at Olivia’s back, then stood. “You really can do what you said you could, yes? You’re not just playing me for a fool?”

“Of course, I can,” Madeleine replied, as she pushed herself off the wall, and slowly walked toward them. “It’s what I do. Now, would you please go check to make sure all the doors are locked. I would like a few minutes alone with Olivia.”

Arthur glanced down at Olivia, then back to Madeleine before he nodded, then walked out of the room without a word.

Alone with her husband’s former lover, Olivia waited as the younger woman slowly circled her, trailing the gun over her shoulders, across the back of her neck, then stopped when she was standing directly in front of her. She leaned in close, and trailed the gun along Olivia’s jaw, then tapped it lightly against her chin.

“It’s time for that little woman to woman chat.”

**~*007*~**

James pressed his back against the brick wall, then carefully peered around the corner. Seeing the coast was clear, he quickly rounded the corner, and made his way to the door next to the loading bay ramp.

He’d left the car he’d borrowed from Connie’s friend at the water treatment plant, just a short distance away, and then had traversed the short distance to the shooting range on foot. It had taken him less than twenty minutes to get to the water treatment plant, then five minutes to jog over to the gun range.

He just hoped he had arrived in time to stop Arthur and Madeleine before they could do anything to hurt Olivia.

Reaching the door, he tried the door handle, pleased to find that it wasn’t locked. He slowly opened the door, then slipped inside.

There, on the loading bay, was the silver Nissan.

As long as they hadn’t switched cars again, this was the place, James thought.

Hearing footsteps approach, James scrambled to hide behind the car. Moments later, he saw Arthur walk past him, and head for the door. He stealthily approached the older man from behind, and tapped him on the shoulder.

“Wha - ”

James knocked him out with a single punch.

He caught the unconscious man, then lowered him to the ground.

“You’re lucky I promised your sister I wouldn’t kill you,” James said, as he straightened up, then looked around. Spotting the door Arthur had come through, James gave the man one last disdainful look, then hurried across the room.

He needed to find his wife.

**~*007*~**

“So what did you want to chat about?”

“Oh, I think you know.”

Olivia tilted her head slightly, as Madeleine straightened up. She knew. And while she did not particularly want to discuss her husband with this woman, Olivia knew it would buy her some time. Time for James to find her.

“You want to talk about my husband,” she said, and watched the younger woman’s body tense slightly, and saw hatred flash in her eyes.

“I want to talk about James, yes,” Madeleine replied tersely.

“What would you like to know?”

“I know all I need to know about James,” the other woman purred, arching a knowing eyebrow.

Olivia recognized that Madeleine was trying to get a rise out of her, but refused to take the bait. She simply sighed, then shrugged as much as the ropes would allow her. “If that’s the case, then we have nothing to talk about.”

“If you really loved James, you would set him free,” Madeleine told her.

“To be with you?”

“Yes.”

“He was planning to end things with you that night in the restaurant when he found me again - ”

“He was not!” Madeleine cut her off. “James and I were very happy together.”

“James was bored with you.”

“James was not bored with me! He wasn’t. James loves me.”

Olivia felt a momentary stab of pity for the young woman. She had known Madeleine had fallen in love with James, she’d seen it in the woman’s eyes when they had run into her outside of Six earlier in the week, but it was not what she was seeing now.

It was much more than that now, and the pity Olivia felt gave way to the smallest twinge of fear, as she realized that Madeleine was obsessed with James. And that made her dangerous. But even knowing that, Olivia knew she needed to take that risk, and keep the woman talking.

“No. He doesn’t.”

“He does! And if you love him as you say you do, you would want him to be happy.”

“Even if I were to set him free, what makes you think he would go back to you now?”

“Because I can give him the one thing he wants. The one thing every man wants. A son to carry on his family name,” Madeleine answered her, then leaned in close so that their faces were less than a foot apart. “I’m carrying James’ child.”


	15. Chapter 15

James stood in the doorway of the small reception office, and looked up and down the hall, trying to decide which direction to go.

After a several seconds thought, he turned left, and quickly, but quietly, made his way down the hallway. He checked each door as he went, peering into each room, then moving on when there was nothing to see.

Reaching the end of the hall, he stopped, and cocked his head. A small smile came to his lips when he heard Olivia’s voice, and he felt a small measure of relief. She was all right.

He carefully peeked around the corner, and realized he’d found the shooting gallery’s main gun range.

The relief he’d felt at hearing his wife’s voice evaporated in an instant when he saw her tied to a chair in the middle of room with Madeleine hovering over her. But even more worrisome than that, was the gun he could see in Madeleine’s hand.

Fighting his natural instinct to rush in, James weighed his options.

While he wanted nothing more than to burst around the corner, and shoot Madeleine (whatever tender feelings he may have still harboured for her had vanished the moment Connie had told him she’d seen her with Arthur), but there was a slim chance, a very slim chance, that he would miss, and hit Olivia.

There was also the possibility that, even startled, Madeleine could shoot Olivia herself. She was good with a gun. Not an expert shot like him, but still good enough to put a couple bullets in his wife, especially from close range.

No. Rushing in was not an option.

He needed to get closer; to signal Olivia somehow.

With that thought in mind, James crouched low, and crept into the room, slipping in behind the stalls. Staying low, he chanced peeking around the corner of the stall.

Madeleine was still standing directly in front of Olivia, the gun resting against her thigh, and he could see that she was agitated, but it was the slight movement of Olivia’s hands that caught his attention, and he smiled.

She was working the knots in the rope securing her to the chair.

That’s my M, he thought with a surge of pride.

 _“Even if I were to set him free, what makes you think he would go back to you now?”_ He heard Olivia ask Madeleine.

_“Because I can give him the one thing he wants. The one thing every man wants. A son to carry on his family name.”_

James frowned, and watched as Madeleine leaned in closer to Olivia, and whispered a reply that he could not hear.

**~*007*~**

Olivia stared into the blue eyes in front of her.

“I’m carrying James’ child,” Madeleine whispered with a smile.

It bubbled up out of her before she could stop it.

Laughter. Deep uncontrollable laughter.

Olivia paused for a breath, and then laughed some more at the surprise, followed by the anger that flashed across Madeleine’s face.

The younger woman straightened up, and glared at her, which only made Olivia laugh harder. “What is so funny?” she asked, her French accent growing thicker with her anger.

“If you are pregnant,” Olivia said, once she’d got her laughter under control, then resumed working on the knot in the rope. “It’s not James’ baby.”

“How can you be so certain?”

“Because I know my husband, and I know that he doesn’t want children. He never has.”

“All men want a son.”

“Just as not all women want to have children, neither do all men. And James is one of those.”

“Nevertheless, I am pregnant with his child.”

Olivia shook her head. “No. You’re not.”

“Poor Olivia, you just can’t handle the knowledge that James and I had sex, many times I might add, can you?”

Olivia shrugged. “James has fucked many women over the years, before and after we were married, when on assignment. You are nothing more than one of those faceless women.”

“I am more than that. And it was more than work between me and James. It was all pleasure,” Madeleine told her, then placed her hand over her stomach. “I believe it happened the first time we had sex, to be honest. On the train, just after we had killed one of Blofeld’s hitmen. We were so frantic for each other, we only just made it back to our car.”

“Adrenaline will do that.”

“It wasn’t just adrenaline. James wanted me.”

“If you’re expecting me to be angry because James fucked you, then you will be sorely disappointed,” Olivia replied. “He believed I was dead. I would never have expected him to remain celibate.”

“And he wasn’t,” the young doctor said with a taunting smile.

“He fucked you, so what? James and I have fucked many times; frantic for each other, as you phrased it; on those occasions removing only what was necessary in order to be together. He’s taken me up against the wall of my office, on the bonnet of the DB5… so many places, you can’t even begin to imagine them all,” Olivia told her. “But tell me, Madeleine, those times you were together, did James ever make love to you?” she asked. “Did he take his time, and love you so slowly you thought you would go mad with desire? Did he kiss every inch of your body, make you come over and over until all you knew, until your entire universe was James, and what he was doing to you?”

Olivia knew the answer already. She knew James had not made love to the young doctor, as he had confessed as much to her. Yes, he’d had sex with her, but he hadn’t made love to her. 

“When he was inside you, did he hold your gaze the whole time, wanting you to see all of him, or did he simply bury his face in the pillow, and slam into you? Or did he hold himself up on his arms, eyes squeezed shut as he sought his pleasure? If it was the last two, then he merely fucked you,” Olivia told her, watching the other woman’s face carefully, and knowing she’d struck a nerve. She smiled. “James made love to me.”

“He’s made love to me, too,” Madeleine said in a quiet voice.

“You don’t sound so sure,” Olivia replied. “If James had made love to you, you’d know it. And whether we fucked, or made love, James’ eyes always held mine, and he always whispered his love to me. Every. Single. Time.”

Madeleine began to pace, tapping the gun against her thigh. “No. He made love to me. We made this baby together, out of our love.”

“There is no baby, Madeleine.”

The blonde stepped back in front of Olivia, and struck her across the face. “There is a baby.”

Olivia blinked away the tears resulting from the slap. “And again, if there is, then it is not James’ baby. You see, Madeleine, James had a vasectomy when he was thirty years old.”

“You’re lying!”

“No, I’m not.”

Olivia gasped when Madeleine slapped her again, then pressed the muzzle of the gun to her forehead.

“What are you going to do now? Shoot me? If you shoot me, James will never forgive you.”

“James won’t ever know,” Madeleine told her with dark smile. “He will think it is all Arthur’s doing.” She began to trace the contours of Olivia’s face with the end of the gun. “What a gift that old man was. Once I realized how taken he was with you, it was quite easy to manipulate him into doing what I wanted.”

“You followed us home from London, didn’t you? And you used him.”

The other woman nodded, a pleased smile on her face. “Yes. So all the blame will be on his shoulders. How sad everyone will be when they discover both your bodies in the burnt remains of this shooting gallery. You with a bullet in your brain. They’ll just think the old man snapped, unable to cope with the return of your memory, and the realization that he will never win your heart. And James…” Madeleine’s lower lip curled into a mocking, sad pout. “He’ll be sad, of course, but not for long. I’ll be there to comfort him, and help him get over you. I don’t think it will take long. And then, you will be nothing more than a distant memory.”

Olivia felt the knot on the rope give way as Madeleine levelled the gun at her forehead once again. Her body tensed.

“Good bye, you old bitch.”

“Madeleine!”

James’ voice boomed throughout the room.

Madeleine turned sharply at the call of her name, pulling the gun away from Olivia’s head as she did.

It was just the opportunity Olivia needed. Taking advantage of the distraction, she kicked out with her feet, knocking Madeleine’s legs out from under her.

Madeleine gasped, and lay there stunned as she struggled to breathe, the breath having been knocked out of her as she landed hard on her back, the gun tumbling from her fingers onto the floor beside her.

Olivia shifted in the chair in an effort to further loosen the ropes, trying to free herself before the younger woman could gather her wits about her again. Out of the corner of her eye, Olivia saw James rise up out of the stalls, and begin to cross the room.

“James! Behind you!”

Her warning came too late, as James was hit over the head from behind, and fell to the floor.

“James!” she cried out, alarmed.

Arthur stood over her husband, panting harshly, then dropped the metal garbage bin lid. He stepped around James’ body, then fell when James reached out, and grabbed his ankle, tripping him.

She watched James push up on his hands and knees, then lunge at Arthur who was already starting to crawl toward her, and flatten him to the floor again.

“Get off!” Arthur grunted, and bucked beneath James in an attempt to free himself, and very nearly knocked James off him, but James held on, and the two began to wrestle.

With renewed determination, Olivia worked the ropes up and over her head with a triumphant smile. She quickly got to her feet, toppling the chair over in her rush, and shoved the gun aside with her foot, just as Madeleine caught her breath, and scrambled to her feet as well, and reached for her.

Olivia tried to avoid the blonde, but was not quick enough, and Madeleine managed to grab hold of her arm. Acting purely on instinct, Olivia spun around, and swung out with her fist.

“Bitch!” Madeleine swore when Olivia punched her in the face. Her hand fell away from Olivia’s arm so she could clutch at her now bleeding nose.

Olivia smirked with satisfaction, then went for the gun on the floor.

Madeleine mirrored her actions, and both women got their hands on the weapon at the same time. They tugged back and forth for several moments until Madeleine gained the upper hand after slapping Olivia in the face, and took full possession of the gun.

“Stop it! Both of you, or this old crone gets a bullet in the brain.”


	16. Chapter 16

James wrestled with Arthur, trying to restrain him without seriously hurting him, but the older man fought back with more strength than James had given him credit for.

He’d just managed to pin the man’s arms to his back, when he heard Madeleine’s voice.

“Stop it! Both of you, or this old crone gets a bullet in the brain.”

James looked up, and his heart leapt into his throat.

Madeleine’s left arm was wrapped around Olivia, fingers squeezing her throat, as her right hand held the muzzle of the gun to his wife’s temple.

“Let him go, James,” Madeleine told him.

With a grunt of annoyance, James released Arthur’s arms, then climbed off the man’s back, and got to his feet. Arthur following suit, and struggling to his feet as well.

“Let her go, Madeleine,” James growled, his voice low and dangerous.

“Please, Madeleine,” Arthur pleaded with her. “Please let her go. You can still do as you promised. You can take her memories, and then I’ll take her away. Then you can do the same to him.” He gestured to James beside him. “This way we both get what we want.”

Madeleine laughed. “You’re a fool, Arthur. Olivia was telling you the truth when she told you it wasn’t possible.”

“No… you promised me.”

“I lied,” she said simply. “When I followed them from London, I wasn’t completely sure how I was going to take care of that old bitch. But then I spotted you standing outside their home, watching them. You were the answer to a prayer; so easy to manipulate. But now, you’re no longer of any use to me.” She pulled the gun away from Olivia’s temple, and fired it; shooting Arthur in the shoulder.

He fell to the floor with an agonized scream, clutching at the bleeding injury.

James spared him a quick glance, then turned his full attention back to the woman threatening his wife, as he withdrew his gun from its holster, and trained it on her.

“Let her go, Madeleine,” he told her again.

“Or what? You’ll kill me, James? Would you really do that to the woman carrying your child?”

“You’re not carrying my child.”

“But I am, James.”

“We were only together for a month, and I never touched you without wearing a condom.”

“Perhaps she _borrowed_ one of the condoms, and bought herself a turkey baster,” Arthur remarked, then choked on a laugh.

James looked down at Arthur with an expression of disbelief on his face, and shook his head.

“Wouldn’t the first time a woman’s done something like that, won’t be the last.” Arthur wheezed.

“My baby was conceived in love,” Madeleine stated.

“There is no baby,” James stated, turning back to face her and Olivia. “And if you are pregnant, it’s not my child.”

“But it is, James.”

James shook his head. “Olivia told you, Madeleine, I had a vasectomy. There is no possible way I can father a child.”

Madeleine shook her head, then pressed the gun back against Olivia’s temple once again. “You’re just saying that so you won’t upset this old woman.”

“He’s telling you the truth,” Olivia told her, then winced when Madeleine squeezed her throat harder.

“Shut up!” Madeleine hissed.

“Stop it, Madeleine! Let her go, or I’ll shoot you.”

“I don’t think so,” she said, as she rubbed the muzzle of the gun against Olivia’s temple. “No. What you are going to do, in fact, is toss the gun this way, James.” 

James hesitated. 

Giving up his weapon meant there was a greater chance Madeleine could, and would shoot Olivia.

“DO IT!” Madeleine shouted.

James met Olivia’s eyes, and saw a hint of fear in the blue depths. Fear, and something else. It was the something else that had him nodding. “All right,” he said, lowering his arm, and made to toss it to the floor at Madeleine’s feet.

“Ah! Before you do that, remove the clip, and empty the chamber,” Madeleine told him.

James frowned, but did as she asked. He released the magazine, and dropped it into his palm, then ejected the bullet already in the chamber, letting it fall to the floor.

“Now, toss the clip behind you, and the gun this way.”

James threw the cartridge of bullets over his shoulder, then tossed the now empty gun to the floor.

The weapon slid across the floor.

It was at that moment that Olivia suddenly rammed her right elbow back into Madeleine’s ribs, reaching up to pull the blonde’s hand away from her throat at the same time. With room to manoeuvre, Olivia whirled around, and knocked the gun from Madeleine’s hand.

It clattered to the floor at their feet.

“You bitch!” Madeleine swore, as she swung her fist.

Olivia dropped to her knees, and grabbed the gun from the floor.

The shot echoed off the walls, followed by Madeleine’s surprised cry of pain.

James watched as she staggered back, clutching at her arm, then with an incensed scream, she charged Olivia.

Another shot rang through the room, and Madeleine crumpled to the floor with a grunt.

James rushed over to Olivia, and helped her to her feet. Grasping her face in his hands, he kissed her hard, almost desperately in his relief, then enfolded her in his embrace. She wrapped her arms around him, and laid her head on his chest

“Are you all right?” he asked her softly.

She nodded against his chest. “Yes.”

“Your aim’s improved,” James murmured into her hair, and felt her cheek bunch against his chest as she smiled.

**~*007*~**

“Your aim’s improved.”

Olivia smiled at his dryly uttered comment. 

“Are you sure you’re all right?” he asked her again, tilting her head back to look at her.

“Yes, James… I’m all right,” she told him, and smiled up at him.

He brushed the backs of his fingers against her cheek, the one Madeleine had struck, and she realized there must be a handprint on her skin.

“Honestly, my love, I’m fine,” Olivia reassured him, with a gentle pat to his back.

His mouth was on hers again in a hungry, passionate kiss. Olivia moaned, the fingers of her left hand curling into his shirt, her right hand gripping the gun she still held more firmly, as she responded to the kiss, and pressed closer to him.

“Stop right there!”

A familiar voice called out loudly, and they pulled apart to see Mallory and Moneypenny standing next to a wounded Arthur, their guns drawn, and trained straight ahead.

Olivia and James turned as one to see Madeleine crawling on the floor toward them, reaching out for James’ empty Walther that was still on the floor at their feet.

Stepping out of her embrace, James pulled her aside, then kicked Madeleine’s hand away, just as her fingers brushed the grip of his gun.

“Don’t even think it, you stupid bitch,” James growled, as he bent down, and picked up his gun.

“James,” Moneypenny called out to him as he straightened up. She held up the clip, then tossed it to him.

He slapped the clip back into his gun, and Olivia’s eyes widened when he cocked the gun, then pointed it at the injured woman at his feet.

“Give me one reason why I shouldn’t?”

“I’m carrying your baby,” Madeleine choked out, then dissolved into a coughing fit, blood staining her lips. She looked up at him again once she’d caught her breath. “And you love me.”

James shook his head.

“James…” Olivia moved to his side, and placed her hand on his wrist. “Don’t. She’s not worth it.”

He held her eyes for moment before nodding. “No, she’s not,” he agreed, as he thumbed the safety into place, then holstered the gun. He looked back down at Madeleine. “I never loved you.”

Olivia looked down to see Madeleine glaring at her with hatred, before the blood loss won out, and she sank to the floor, unconscious.

“Aunt Olivia, are you all right?” Mallory asked, as he crossed over to them, and Olivia could not help smirking just that little bit at his slip, and was further surprised when he pulled her into a quick hug.

“I’m fine, Gareth,” she replied, as she patted his back. “James got here in time.”

“Thank god,” he said, breathing a sigh of relief, as he released her. He glanced back to where Arthur was still slumped against the wall, clutching his shoulder, then down at the unconscious Madeleine. “So, just these two?”

“Yes.”

Mallory turned to Moneypenny. “Ring the Chief Inspector. Tell him we have wounded, and to send the ambulance.”

“Yes, sir,” she replied, and pulled her mobile out of her pocket.

“When you said you were going to send a couple agents, I didn’t think you meant yourself.” James remarked with a bemused smile.

Mallory shrugged.

“Difficult simply being on the sidelines, isn’t it?” Olivia remarked.

“Yes. Especially when it involves someone you care about.”

Olivia slipped her hand into James’ larger one, and laced her fingers with his. “How well I remember.”

“The ambulance will be here in five minutes,” Moneypenny called out to them.

“Thank you,” Mallory replied, then gestured to Arthur. “See to him until the paramedics arrive.”

“Yes, sir.” Moneypenny nodded, then crouched down next to the injured man.

“There’s nothing left for either of you here,” Mallory said, as returned his attention to them. “Why don’t you both go home?”

Olivia looked up at James, and he nodded.

“We’ve had your car brought over from the golf club.”

“Thank you,” James said, then glanced down at the still unconscious woman at his feet. He nudged her with his foot, and she groaned.

“Just before she lost consciousness, did she say she was pregnant?” Mallory asked

“Yes. She claims it’s James’ baby,” Olivia answered.

Mallory looked at James. “But you - ”

“Yep.”

“And she still claims - ”

“Yep,” James replied, his face devoid of emotion. “When she’s brought to the hospital, can you please have her tested. If she is pregnant, we’ll need to find out who the father is. If she isn’t…” His voice trailed off.

“I’ll take care of it, 007.”

“Thank you, sir.”

Mallory nodded. “Now, go on. Take your wife home.”

Olivia leaned against James, and squeezed his fingers. “Let’s go home, James.”

**~*007*~**

“Oh! You’re all right!”

Olivia smiled at Connie’s exclamation as she walked into the living room. Seconds later, she was being enveloped in a fierce hug.

“I’m all right,” Olivia replied, as she returned her friend’s embrace.

“I was so worried about you,” Connie whispered, then released her.

“I’m okay, Connie. Thanks to you getting to James so quickly, he was able to get to me in time.”

“I had hoped as much when the tow truck brought Allan’s car back round, but they did not know anything,” she said, then turned to James, and asked, “And Arthur? Please tell me you didn’t kill him.”

“I didn’t kill him,” James told her.

“Oh thank god,” Connie sagged with relief.

“However, he was shot.”

“What?! You shot him!?”

James shook his head. “Madeleine shot him,” he explained. “He took a bullet to the shoulder, but he’s going to be fine.”

“I am surprised that’s all he got.” Connie sighed. “I know what my brother’s like, but I never thought he’d be capable of something like this. I’m sorry, Olivia,” she apologized to her, then turned to James. “I’m sorry.”

“You have nothing to apologize for, Connie.”

“Madeleine used him; tricked him,” Olivia told her. “For all his blustering, I don’t believe for one moment that Arthur would have even considered doing something like this on his own.”

Connie shook her head. “No, he wouldn’t have.”

“But he will still have to face charges,” James said. “I’m sorry, Connie. He kidnapped the former head of the SIS, and he will need to answer for that.”

“I understand.” She nodded. “Have they taken him to the A & E?”

“Yes.”

“I think I’ll go see him, then,” she told him, then looked over at her friend Allan who was seated on the sofa. He stood, and made his way to the front door. “I’m sure, after everything that’s happened, that the two of you could use some time alone.”

Olivia glanced at James, as she nodded, then was pulled into another hug.

“I really am glad you’re okay, honey,” Connie murmured, then released her, and turned to James. She gave him a quick hug as well. “I’m happy you got to her in time. And thank you for Arthur.”

James smiled.

“I’ll ring you tomorrow, Olivia,” Connie said, then left with her friend.

Alone at last, Olivia met James’ eyes, then without saying a word, she stepped into arms.

**~*007*~**

Arms wrapped around herself, Olivia stood beneath the warm water of the shower with her head bowed, and her eyes closed.

She sighed deeply.

The day was catching up with her.

After Connie and Allan had left, she and James had gone into the kitchen to prepare an early dinner; a light meal of soup and sandwiches, as neither had been in the mood for anything heavier, or that required a lot of preparation and cooking.

James had been very quiet as they’d eaten their food, but she hadn’t been too concerned, knowing it was just his way of decompressing and processing what had happened. But as the evening progressed, he had grown increasingly more withdrawn. Usually, all it took was a little gentle coaxing, and he would tell her what was on his mind, but not this time.

Olivia sighed again, and tilted her head back, allowing the water to stream down over her face.

It hadn’t taken her long to realize that he was blaming himself for what had happened.

She lifted her head, then reached up to wipe the water from her eyes.

“James!” she called out suddenly.

He appeared a few moments later. “What is it? What’s wrong?”

“Get in here.” She gestured to the shower.

“Olivia - ”

“James.” She stopped him, then continued in a voice that brooked no argument, “Get in here now!”

James looked at her for only a moment, then with a nod, he shed his pyjama bottoms, and joined her in the shower. She immediately stepped into his personal space, wrapped her arms around him, and laid her head on his chest.

She closed her eyes as a shudder wracked her body; the tension, and the stress of the day finally releasing its hold on her.

“Are you all right?” James asked, worry in his voice, as he wound his arms around her.

“I am now,” Olivia replied, pressing a light kiss to his wet chest.

They held each other under the hot spray of the shower.

“It’s not your fault, James,” Olivia told him, after listening to his heart beat steadily beneath her ear for several minutes. “Please stop blaming yourself.”

“But Madeleine - ” 

“Was responsible for her own actions,” she cut him off. “But if you want to assign blame, then it’s my fault.”

“Yours? How can it be your fault?”

Olivia lifted her head from his chest, and looked up at him through the steam. “I’m the one who sent you after Sciarra. If not for that, you never would have met her, and none of this would have happened.”

“But if not for that order, I would not have found you again, as I wouldn’t have been in the restaurant that night.”

“So you see, everything worked out in the end.”

James shook his head.

“James, let it go,” Olivia said in a soft voice.

“I could have lost you again,” he whispered, lifting a hand to cradle the side of her face.

“But you didn’t. I’m here. I’m in your arms, and we have our future ahead of us again,” she told him.

He nodded slowly. “Yes we do.”

“Let’s concentrate on that, hmm? Let’s concentrate on us.”

His eyes softened as she gazed up at him.

“Sounds good to me.”

“Good. Because, honestly, I just want to forget this last year even happened,” Olivia told him, then began to chuckle at the irony of what she’d just said.

James smiled, and chuckled a little with her. “So do I.”

Olivia nuzzled her cheek against his palm. “Now, as tired as I am, I would like for you to take me to bed, and make love to me until we are both too exhausted to move. Tomorrow’s Christmas Eve, and it’s our fourth anniversary. I would like to start the next year of our marriage on a positive, happy note.”

James brushed his thumb over her lips, as his other hand glided down her back to curve around the full cheek of her arse. “I like the sound of that,” he replied, then ducked his head to kiss her.

Olivia moaned, and pressed closer, sliding her hands up his back to clutch at his shoulders, as she deepened the kiss.

They parted long moments later, both breathless but smiling.

“I’ve been thinking,” James murmured. “About our future.”

“Bahamas,” Olivia said.

“Bahamas,” he echoed with a nod.


	17. Chapter 17

James Bond was bored.

It had been a year since he’d walked away from Six, and the life of International Espionage… for good this time.

He closed his eyes, and sighed softly.

He was bored.

A warm, gentle wind stirred his hair, and he opened his eyes. He inhaled sharply at the sight that greeted him, and unconsciously reached beneath the table to adjust himself as his cock began to swell.

Strolling barefoot along the water’s edge toward him, wearing a simple, sapphire blue sundress, was his wife.

James smiled.

Boredom fled in an instant.

Christ, she was gorgeous, James thought, as he drank in the sight of her.

Tanned and luscious, hair glowing in the sunlight, dress twirling about her legs with the ocean breeze, he had never seen her looking more beautiful, and the sight of her took his breath away.

His eyes remained locked on her as she left the beach, stepping up onto the restaurant’s patio, and made her way to him. He felt his heart skip a beat, then begin to race when she flashed him a brilliant, knowing smile; her eyes twinkling at him.

James stood just as she reached the table, and unable to resist, he drew her into his arms. “Hi,” he murmured, before he lowered his head to kiss her. He smiled against her lips, when she hummed, and pressed closer, parting her lips to allow his tongue entrance.

When he finally ended the kiss, he felt light-headed and breathless.

“One of these days, they are going to arrest us for lewd and lascivious behaviour,” Olivia muttered, sounding rather breathless herself, James thought with a pleased grin.

James snorted, then ducked his head to kiss her again.

The second kiss did not linger as long as the first, though it still left James feeling ridiculously happy, and more than a little aroused.

“I’m sorry, I did not expect to be that long,” she said, as she sat down in the chair he held for her.

“I was beginning to wonder.”

“Connie called just as I was about to leave,” she explained. “And you know how she likes to talk.”

James chuckled, and nodded. “And how is Connie?”

“She’s well. She told me some news about Arthur.”

His body tensed at the mention of the other man’s name, but he forced himself to relax. “What about him?”

“He’s met someone.”

James’ eyebrows shot up. That was the last thing he’d expected to hear.

“According to Connie, he met her while doing his community service. Apparently, they’re seeing the same therapist. Connie says she’s very nice, and she really likes Arthur, and he seems to really like her as well.”

“I’m happy to hear that.”

Olivia tilted her head, and regarded him thoughtfully. “Are you really?”

James nodded. “Yes, I am. It means he’s over you.”

She smiled. “Connie also said that he’s decided to continue with the therapy and anger management classes. He’s told her he thinks they’ve really helped him.”

“Good. That’s good to hear.”

After being treated at the hospital for the gunshot wound inflicted on him by Madeleine, Arthur had been taken into custody by Six. He’d pleaded guilty to all the charges made against him, and stuck a deal, not wanting to go through the hassle of a trial.

Both James and Olivia had spoken with the judge, and Arthur had been sentenced to six months jail, followed by mandatory community service. He’d also been instructed to undergo therapy, as well as anger management courses.

James was glad the therapy and the anger management had helped the older man.

He’d fared better than Madeleine at least, James thought with a sigh.

Olivia’s bullets had caught the blonde in the shoulder and the leg, and she’d required surgery to repair the damage. As James had requested, Madeleine had been given a pregnancy test, and it had come back negative - she wasn’t pregnant. (He’d learned later, that a home pregnancy test she’d taken had given her a false positive.)

However, she had continued to believe she was, and insisting it was James’ baby she was carrying. She’d been evaluated by Dr. Hall, and had been deemed unstable, and had been remanded to an institution.

Four months ago, she had tried to escape, and had been severely injured in the attempt. She’d died from her injuries.

“What happened to Madeleine is not your fault, James.”

Olivia’s soft words drew him from his thoughts, and he met her eyes.

“How did you know I was thinking about her?”

She shrugged. “Given the topic of conversation, it’s only natural you would.”

“Yeah, I guess so.”

Olivia reached out, and covered his hand with hers. “James, don’t.”

He turned his hand over under hers, and curled his fingers around hers, then began stroking the top of her hand with his thumb. He smiled and nodded. 

“Good.” She squeezed his fingers. “Connie gave me some more good news.”

James could see in her eyes how much this news pleased her, and how anxious she was to share it. “What’s that?”

“Allan proposed!”

“That’s great!” James said, genuinely pleased to hear the news.

“They want to get married here,” she told him. “They’d like us to stand up for them.”

James smiled. “I’d like that.”

“That also means Arthur would be here.”

“I know. It’s all right.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes.” He nodded, then with a straight face, he said dryly, “It’s quite simple: he tries anything, and I’ll kill him.”

“James!”

He huffed out a laugh. “I’m joking.”

“You had better be.”

James chuckled. “You said he’s continuing with the therapy, and the anger management classes.” She nodded. “And he’s found someone, so I assume he’ll bring her.”

“I would think so, yes.”

“Then there is no problem,” James replied simply.

Olivia got up from her seat, stepped over to him, then lowered herself down so that she was sitting sideways on his lap. She wrapped her arms loosely about his shoulders, her fingers playing with the hair at the nape of his neck.

He slipped one arm behind her back, the other he draped over her legs, curling his hand around her thigh.

“You are a good man, James.”

James shook his head.

“Don’t argue, 007.” 

“Yes, M.”

Olivia chuckled, then ducked her head.

They shared a loving kiss. 

“I do love you so, James Bond,” she told him in a quiet, husky voice.

“And I love you, Olivia Bond.”

She lowered her head again.

James moaned as she licked at his lips, then nibbled on his bottom lip before slipping her tongue into his mouth to stroke his. He splayed his fingers on her back, and gently urged her closer, as she deepened the kiss.

It ended a few moments later when it threatened to become more, and they leaned their foreheads together.

“Suddenly, I’m not all that hungry for food,” Olivia whispered, her breath warm on his lips.

“Me either,” James whispered back. “Will it spoil your surprise if we head home now?”

“Not at all,” she told him, then slipped off his lap, and held her hand out to him. “Let’s go home, James. We have an anniversary to celebrate.”

He nodded, as he placed his hand in hers, then got to his feet.

Hand in hand, they left the patio, and made their way along the beach.

James glanced down at Olivia as walked along the water’s edge, and his heart swelled with love once more.

Two years ago, he’d believed her to be dead.

A year ago, he found out she was alive, albeit with amnesia.

He got her back, only to almost lose her again.

Almost.

A line from a poem he’d read long ago suddenly flashed through his mind.

“James?” Olivia turned to him when he suddenly stopped walking. “What is it?”

He recited the line of the poem in a low voice, “Though lovers be lost, love shall not; And death shall have no dominion.”

She smiled, and stepped into his arms, and laid her hands on his chest.

Olivia understood. James could see it in her eyes.

“Over us, it hasn’t yet, and it never shall.”

James smiled at his wife.

“Never.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The line of the poem James recites, as well as the title of the fic, have been taken from the poem: 'And Death Shall Have no Dominion' by Dylan Thomas.


End file.
